What is Lydia Wideman?
[[File:Lydia Wideman 1952.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Wideman in 1952]] '''Lydia Wideman''' (later ''Wideman-Lehtonen''; 17 May 1920 &ndash; 13 April 2019) was a Finnish Olympic [[cross-country skier]] gold medalist. She was born in [[Vilppula]], Finland. She was the first female Olympic medalist in cross-country skiing.<ref name=b1>Arponen, Antti O.; Hannus, Matti; Honkavaara, Aarne; Leinonen, Kimmo; Mäki-Kuutti, Tarmo; Raatikainen, Voitto; Raevuori, Antero (1986) ''Talviurheilun tähdet'', p. 123. WSOY.</ref> In 1952 she competed in thirteen 10&nbsp;km races and won all of them, including the [[1952 Winter Olympics]], national championships and [[Lahti Ski Games]].<ref name=sr>[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/lydia-wideman-1.html Lydia Wideman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110120195409/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/lydia-wideman-1.html |date=2011-01-20 }}. sports-reference.com</ref> In February 2018, following the death of [[Durward Knowles]], she became the oldest living Olympic champion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eight Bells: Sir Durward Knowles >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News|url=http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2018/02/25/eight-bells-sir-durward-knowles/|website=Scuttlebutt Sailing News|access-date=25 February 2018|date=25 February 2018}}</ref> Wideman died on 13 April 2019, aged 98.<ref>[https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/maailman-vanhin-elossa-ollut-olympiavoittaja-lydia-wideman-lehtonen-on-kuollut/7363862#gs.5cvu02 Maailman vanhin elossa ollut olympiavoittaja Lydia Wideman-Lehtonen on kuollut]</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Wideman, Lydia}} [[Category:1920 births]] [[Category:2019 deaths]] [[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Finland]] [[Category:Finnish skiers]] {{sports-bio-stub}}