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Alena Popchanka

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Alena Popchanka
Popchanka in 2009
Personal information
Full nameAlena Popchanka
Nationality France (2005-on)
 Belarus (pre-2005)
Born (1979-07-28) 28 July 1979 (age 45)
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 4 × 100 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Budapest 4 × 200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Budapest 4 × 100 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 4 × 50 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 4 × 50 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 Belarusian 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 to 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

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  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.
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