After several years away from the top level, she returned in 1997 and won the Brothers Znamensky Memorial with a throw of . Her second Russian national title following shortly after. At the 1997 World Championships in Athletics she was again fourth place at a major global event, some two metres off the bronze medallist and fellow Russian Natalya Sadova. She was in lesser form the following season, having a best of , but she still managed second place at the Russian Championships, as women's throws performances declined in an era of increasing drug testing scrutiny.