in 2011, she retained her world title in the 1,500m, successfully defending it at the 2011 ipc athletics world championships in christchurch, new zealand. then in the run-up to the 2012 london paralympics, she took the gold, again in the 1,500m, at the 2012 european championships in stadskanaal. in london she posted a season's best of 4:37.65 to beat her nearest rival, spain's elena congost, by almost seven seconds to take her second paralympic gold medal. after her triumph in london, pautova was awarded the order of honour, and received her medal form president vladimir putin at a ceremony held in the kremlin.