(ATR) Russia's first female Winter Games Champion joins the Sochi 2014 Olympic bid in celebration of International Womens’ Day.

Lyubov Baranova earlier in her career. (Sochi2014)

(ATR) Russia's first female Winter Games Champion joins the Sochi 2014 Olympic bid in celebration of International Womens' Day.

Lyubov Baranova, nee Kozyreva, is signing up with Sochi 2014 as a public ambassador.

She received the gold in 10k cross-country skiing at Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956 and three silvers in her Olympic career.

"I am very proud to support Sochi 2014 Bid to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to Russia for the first time. Half a century after I had the honour of winning gold in Russia's first Winter Games, I am thrilled to see the accomplishments that women have made in Russia, in sport, business and political life."

International Womens' Day comes each March 8. It began as a Socialist International initiative in the early 20th century and eventually became a major holiday in the Soviet Union, and is still an official holiday in much of the region.

Prominent women associated with the Sochi 2014 bid include Chairwoman Elena Anikina and Chief Operating Officer Tatiana Dobrokhvalova.

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