Denis Pankratov facts for kids
Pankratov in 2015
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| Nationality |  Russia |
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| Born | 4 July 1974 Volgograd, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 81 kilograms (179 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Butterfly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Central Sport Klub Army, Volgograd | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coach |  Viktor Avdienko |
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Medal record
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Denis Pankratov (born July 4, 1974) is a famous Russian butterfly swimmer. He was known for his amazing wins in the 1990s. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, USA, he won two gold medals in butterfly swimming. His unique way of swimming underwater for long distances made him famous.
Denis was named "Swimming World" Swimmer of the Year twice. In 2004, he was honored by being added to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He trained in Volgograd with another gold medalist, Yevgeny Sadovyi.
Contents
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Denis Pankratov was born in Volgograd, which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. He started swimming at a young age.
When he was 16, in 1990 and 1991, he won the Junior European Championships in butterfly. This showed he was a rising star in swimming. His first big international competition was the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He reached the final of the 200 meter butterfly, finishing 6th.
European and World Success
In 1993, Denis won his first international medals at the European Championships in Sheffield. He earned gold medals in the 200 meter butterfly and the 4x100 meter medley relay. He also won a silver medal in the 100 meter butterfly.
He did even better at the 1995 European Championships in Vienna. There, he won three gold medals! He also broke the world record for the 100 meter butterfly with a time of 52.32 seconds. This record had stood for nine years.
At the 1994 World Championships in Rome, Denis competed against the best swimmers globally. He won the 200 meter butterfly. He also took home a silver medal in the 4x100 meter medley relay and a bronze in the 100 meter butterfly. These wins proved he was one of the top butterfly swimmers in the world.
Olympic Glory and Unique Style
Denis Pankratov's biggest success came at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He won two gold medals, one for the 100 meter butterfly and another for the 200 meter butterfly. He also won a silver medal with his Russian teammates in the 4x100 meter medley relay.
His 100 meter butterfly victory was truly special. He set another world record, finishing in 52.27 seconds. What made his win unique was his underwater swimming. He swam more than 25 meters of the first lap underwater. Then, he swam another 15 meters underwater in the opposite direction. This "submarine technique" was so effective that it led to a new rule. Now, butterfly swimmers are limited to swimming 15 meters underwater, just like other swimming styles.
Later Career and Retirement
Denis tried to win more medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He finished 7th in the 200 meter butterfly. He retired from swimming in 2002.
Throughout his career, Denis Pankratov set seven world records. Three were in long course pools and four in short course pools. His 100 meter butterfly world records lasted for two years. His 200 meter butterfly world record of 1:55.22 lasted for five years. He was named the male World Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World magazine in both 1995 and 1996. He also earned the title of male European Swimmer of the Year in those same years.
See also
In Spanish: Denís Pankrátov para niños
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- List of Swimming World Swimmers of the Year
- World record progression 50 metres butterfly
- World record progression 100 metres butterfly
- World record progression 200 metres butterfly
