Ritva Kaija Hannele Melender (néeLemettinen, born 9 September 1960 inYlistaro) is a retired femalemarathon runner fromFinland. She represented Finland at the1992 Summer Olympics inBarcelona, Spain, finishing in 14th place in the women's marathon. She twice won theChicago Marathon, in 1993 and 1995. Her personal best time is 2:28:00 set at the London Marathon in 1995. This is also the currentFinnish national record.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing Finland | |||||
| 1990 | European Championships | Split,SFR Yugoslavia | 9th | Marathon | 2:39.42 |
| 1991 | Honolulu Marathon | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1st | Marathon | 2:40:11 |
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 14th | Marathon | 2:41:48 |
| 1993 | World Championships | Stuttgart, Germany | 18th | Marathon | 2:45:05 |
| Chicago Marathon | Chicago,United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:33:18 | |
| 1994 | European Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 6th | Marathon | 2:33.05 |
| 1995 | Chicago Marathon | Chicago,United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:28:27 |
| World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 5th | Marathon | 2:31:19 | |
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