"I know she had cancer in a severe form," said Vasilyev. Kukleva passed away at the age of 53. Kukleva achieved her greatest success at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, where she won gold in the 7.5 km sprint and silver in the relay. At the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, she became a bronze medalist in the relay. In total, she has 23 victories in World Cup stages. She ended her sports career in 2003.