Career
Smetanina took part in five Olympics, representing the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics team four times and the Unified Team once. Smetanina also had successes at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, winning four golds (20 km (1982), and 4×5 km (1974, 1985, and 1991), four silvers (10 km (1978), 20 km (1978), and 4×5 km (1982, 1989)), and four bronzes (4×5 km (1978), 5 km (1974, 1978), and 20 km (1980)). Smetanina always skied in the classical Nordic style and refused to learn the faster skating technique that appeared in early 1980s.