Biography of Aleksandr Popov For Swimming

Alexander Popov

Aleksandr Vladímirovich Popóv, also known as "The Tsar", is a former sports swimmer of Russian origin, born on November 16, 1971 and is considered one of the best swimming Olympic athletes of all time with Lifeguard Class Near me.

As a child he was afraid of water, but his father insisted that he had to learn to swim. That is how at the age of eight he began his life in the aquatic world in a sports school for children and adolescents.

 

When he was nineteen years old he participated in his first international competition, taking first place on the podium in the 100 meter freestyle at the 1991 European Championships.

From that moment and until 1988 he remained undefeated in all the finals he reached individually, including, that same year in the European Championships, he led his relay team to victory, winning gold in the 4 × 100 styles and 4 ×100 free.

Aleksandr Popov's move to Australia 

Aleksandr started swimming specializing in backstroke, then at the suggestion of his coach, upon joining Gennadi Touretski's team, he switched to freestyle where he followed most of his career.

He moved to Canberra, Australia to further his training as a professional swimmer, where his coach Gennadi Touretski was instrumental in his success, greatly improving his techniques and skills in the water.

At that time he trained six hours a day in the pool and an hour and a half in the gym with American Lifeguard Events Vienna.

In Australia he perfected his stroke technique by making it similar to the movement of kayak paddles, making his entire swim look more aesthetic.

Competitions and medals of Aleksandr Popóv 

After winning three gold medals at the European Championships in 1991, he qualified for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Popóv won gold in the 50-meter freestyle and undoubtedly defeated the favorite, Matt Biondi, in the 100-meter freestyle, he also won the silver medal in the 4×100 freestyle and 4×100 medley relays, this time being defeated by the American team.

In 1993 he competed at the European Swimming Championships in Sheffield, taking home four gold medals in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, as well as the 4 × 100 relay.

A year later, in Monaco, he broke the record set by Matt Biondi in the 100-meter freestyle, setting the mark at 48.21 seconds.

At the World Swimming Championships in 1994 he was crowned champion once again in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, also obtaining the silver medal in the 4 × 100 relay competition, a year later he managed to win five gold medals in this same competition.

At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 he doubled in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle events, being the second swimming athlete to achieve this feat with Lifeguard Class.

He participated in the Olympic Games in Sydney where he lost the gold medal and won the silver in the 100 meter freestyle.

By the year 2003 he was over thirty, however, he managed to win gold in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle at the World Championships in Barcelona.

For the 2004 Athens Olympics he failed to qualify for any finals, assuming the end of his successful career.