Marina Ivanovna Stepanova (née Makeyeva (Russian: Марина Ивановна Степанова-Макеева) born 1 May 1950) is a Russian former athlete who competed for the Soviet Union in the 400 metres hurdles, and became the first woman to run under 53 seconds for the event, when she ran 52.94 secs in 1986.

Born in Meglevo, Imeni Sverdlova settlement, Stepanova started to compete internationally in 1978 at the European Championships in Prague where she finished sixth in her semifinal heat.

Unable to attend the 1984 Olympic Games due to the Soviet-led boycott, she did improve her personal best to 53.67 seconds when winning at the 1984 Friendship Games, defeating the 1983 World champion Yekaterina Fesenko and world record holder Margarita Ponomaryova.

A month later at the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart, she won the gold medal in the world record time of 53.32 seconds.

[3]: 291  This would remain the world record for seven years until Sally Gunnell ran 52.74 secs in 1993.