Career
On 3 July 1960, she set a world record in this event at 2 minimum 4.3 seconds. She equalled this time while winning the 800 m gold at the 1960 Olympics two months later. Two Australians, Brenda Jones and Dixie Willis led the race.
In 1954 Shevtsova finished second in the 800 m at the national and third at European Championships.
At the 1962 European Championships she failed to reach the final. After retiring from competitions she coached athletics in Kiev, Ukraine.
She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1960. Shevtsova first trained in artistic gymnastics, and changed to running only in 1951, after winning by surprise a cross country race at the Dnipropetrovsk championships.
She has two sons from different marriages, Oleg (born 1957), and Vladimir.