[2] Averina was trained by Boris Stenin at Burevestnik Voluntary Sports Society in Gorky.

[1] She participated in the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck and won medals (two gold and two bronze) on all four distances.

The Swiss newspaper Sport had written shortly before the Olympic Games, "Narrow specialisation has solidly taken root in the skating sport and these days it will be very hard to find an athlete who will compete in all distances and achieve successes in all, similar to Clas Thunberg and Lidia Skoblikova.

"[2] Averina took part in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, but did not win any medal.

After having won 3 silver medals in earlier years (1974, 1975 and 1976), Averina became World Allround Champion in 1978.