Swimming

• Equipment:starting block
• Gear:swimwear, goggles, cap

Russia

The first swimming school was opened in Saint Petersburg in 1834. The Shuvalovsky School, which was founded in 1908 in the suburb of Saint Petersburg, became the first swimming centre in Russia.  

In the newly born Soviet Union swimming sections started emerging in all parts of the country. By 1941, Soviet swimmers made their names on the international scene, setting 16 records in this sport. The first top swimmers in the Soviet Union were Klavdia Aleshina, Nikolay Borisov, Leonid Meshkov and Semyon Boychenko.  

The USSR national swimming team did very well at the Olympic Games. In 1968 in Mexico, 9 Soviet swimmers claimed 4 silver and 4 bronze medals. In 1976 in Montreal, they took all three spots on the podium in the women’s 200m breaststroke. In 1980 in Moscow, the USSR team earned 5 gold medals and 1 silver. Vladimir Salnikov became the hero of the Olympics, winning three gold medals. In 1988 in Seoul, Salnikov won one more gold.

Soviet and Russian swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion, 21-time European champion Alexander Popov dominated the sport in the 1990s.

Swimming is dynamically developing in Russia now. The progress is boosted by the state support. New swimming pools are being constructed; children and youth sports schools and centres are being opened.

Russia’s top swimmers:

Evgeny Korotyshkin, Olympic silver medallist, World Championships bronze medallist, three-time world short course champion, World Short Course Championships silver medalist, three-time European champion, European Championships silver medalist, European Championships bronze medallist, four-time European Short Course Championships gold medallist, nine-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist, European Short Course Championships bronze medallist;

Danila Izotov, Olympic silver medallist, Olympic Games bronze medallist, three-time World Championships silver medallist, three-time World Championships bronze medallist, world short course champion, four-time World Short Course Championships silver medallist, two-time World Short Course Championships bronze medallist, two-time European champion, four-time European short course champion, three-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist, two-time European Short Course Championships bronze medallist;

Yulia Efimova, Olympic bronze medallist, three-time World Championships silver medallist, World Championships bronze medallist, World Short Course Championships bronze medallist, three-time European champion, two-time European Championships silver medallist, three-time European short course champion;

Vladimir Morozov, Olympic bronze medallist, World Championships silver medallist, World Championships bronze medallist, three-time World Short Course Championships gold medallist, four-time World Short Course Championships silver medallist, European champion, European Championships silver medallist, European Championships bronze medallist, nine-time European Short Course Championships gold medallist, four-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist, European Short Course Championships bronze medallist;

Anastasia Fesikova (Zueva), Olympic silver medallist,  world champion, three-time World Championships silver medallist, two-time European champion, two-time European Championships silver medallist, European short course champion, two-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist.

Tatarstan

First swimming classes were held in the Republic of Tatarstan in summer 1922 at Lake Kaban and the Kazanka River. In 1966 Tatarstan’s first swimmers Evgeny Ushakov and Zoya Bazhenova were ranked among the top 10 swimmers in the Soviet Union. In 1973, a dream of many generations of Tatarstan swimmers has come true – the first 50-metre swimming pool was opened in Kazan by the Orgsintez Plant.

At present Yana Martynova is the most decorated swimmer in Tatarstan. She’s been competing under the Russian flag since 2000. Achievements:  silver medal at the 2007 FINA World Championships, bronze medal at the 2008 European Championships, gold medal at the 2013 Summer Universiade. 

Over the past two years, Kazan hosted several swimming events: Russian Swimming Championships (2013), Russian Cup final (2013), and the Summer Universiade whose programme included the swimming tournament (2013).

Sports schools