Alena Popchanka

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Alena Popchanka
Personal information
Full nameAlena Popchanka
Nationality France (2005-on)
 Belarus (pre-2005)
Born (1979-07-28) 28 July 1979 (age 44)
Gomel, Belarus
Height1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Sport
SportSwimming
Medal record
Women's swimming
World Championships (LC)
Representing  Belarus
Gold medal – first place 2003 Barcelona 200 m freestyle
Representing  France
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Melbourne[1] 4×200 m freestyle
European Championships (LC)
Representing  Belarus
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Berlin 100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Berlin 200 m freestyle
Representing  France
Gold medal – first place 2008 Eindhoven 4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Budapest 100 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Budapest 4x100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Budapest 4x200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Budapest 4x100 m medley
European Championships (SC)
Representing  Belarus
Gold medal – first place 2002 Riesa 100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2002 Riesa 200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2002 Riesa 4x50 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Dublin 200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Dublin 100 m butterfly
Representing  France
Gold medal – first place 2006 Helsinki 200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2005 Trieste 100 m butterfly
Silver medal – second place 2006 Helsinki 100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2007 Debrecen 100 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Trieste 100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Debrecen 4x50 m medley

Alena Popchanka (born 28 July 1979 in Gomel, Belarus)[2] is a 4-time Olympic freestyle and butterfly swimmer originally from Belarus. She swam for Belarus at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. At the 2008 Olympics she swam for France; after her marriage to Frenchman Frédéric Vergnoux in early 2005.[3]

Popchanka won the 200 m freestyle at the 2003 World Championships and won the 200 m freestyle again at the 2006 Short Course European Championships.

She married Vergnoux, her coach, in early 2005, and became a French citizen a few months following the marriage (June). In November 2005, Popchanka was cleared to swim internationally for France, following a 1-year sit-out from competition which was not waived by the Belorussian federation following her departure and last swim for Belarus at the 2004 Olympics.[3] Because of this timing, Popchanka was unable to swim at the 2005 World Championships to defend her 200 m freestyle title from 2003.

Since November 2005, she has competed for France. Leading up to the 2008 Olympics, the couple lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, where Vergnoux coached from 2004-2008. Following the 2008 Olympics, Vergnoux and Popchanka moved back to France, after Vergnoux left his coaching job in Edinburgh for one in Paris.[4]

Vergnoux is notable in his own right: during his time in Edinburgh, he was twice named British Coach of the Year.[4] He also served on the British Olympic Team staff for the 2008 Olympics.

References

  1. ^ "12th FINA World Championships". Archived from the original on 2007-06-06. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
  2. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Yelena Popchenko". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-02-23. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  3. ^ a b Popchanka Can Begin Representing France in November Archived 2012-08-25 at the Wayback Machine, published by Swimming World Magazine online on 2005-06-02; retrieved 2009-07-21
  4. ^ a b Swimming gets a boost at Lagardère Paris Racing, Lagardère Press Release, published 2008-06-13; retrieved 2009-07-21.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alena_Popchanka&oldid=1003151878"