[1][3] In 1976 the women's 400 metres hurdles were contested at the Soviet national championships for the first time; Zelentsova won.

[4] She was then sidelined by kidney problems, which required hospitalization and threatened her career; she recovered and returned in top shape.

[1] She won the semi-final at the 1979 European Cup,[5] then placed third at the 1979 Soviet Spartakiad; the winner, Marina Makeyeva, broke her world record.

[6] Zelentsova's students in Tashkent included relay world champion Sergey Lovachov.

[1][7] She continued coaching in America; her pupils in Arkansas have included LaVonna Martin, who won silver in the 100 metres hurdles at the 1992 Summer Olympics, as well as Russian runners Ekaterina Kostetskaya and Anastasiya Kapachinskaya.