Igor Berezutskiy

Igor Andreyevich Berezutskiy (Russian: Игорь Андреевич Березуцкий; born June 7, 1984) is a Russian former swimmer, who specialized in freestyle and individual medley events.[1] He is highly regarded as Russia's top medley swimmer in the 2000s, having won numerous national and junior European titles. He is a member of Volga Swimming Club, and is trained by his long-time coach and mentor Viktor Avdeyenko.

Igor Berezutskiy
Personal information
Full nameIgor Andreyevich Berezutskiy
National team Russia
Born (1984-06-07) 7 June 1984
Volgograd, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, medley
ClubVolga Volgograd
CoachViktor Avdeyenko
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing Russia
World Championships (SC)
2006 Shanghai 200 m medley
2006 Shanghai 400 m medley
European Championships (SC)
2004 Vienna 200 m medley
European Junior Championships
2002 Linz 200 m medley
2002 Linz 400 m medley
2002 Linz 4×200 m freestyle
2001 Valletta 200 m medley

Berezutskiy made his own swimming history at the 2002 European Junior Championships in Linz, Austria, achieving a total of three gold medals. First, he outlasted Hungary's László Cseh in a close race to set a junior European record of 4:19.81 in the 400 m individual medley.[2] Second, he stroked to a personal best of 2:03.65 to claim a title over his teammate Alexei Zatsepine by a 1.27-second margin in the 200 m individual medley. He also helped out his Russian team to break a championship record of 7:28.25 in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.[3]

Two years later, Berezutskiy qualified for the men's 400 m individual medley at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, by breaking a Russian record and clearing a FINA A-standard entry time of 4:18.13 from the Russian Championships in Moscow.[4][5] He challenged seven other swimmers on the final heat of five, including top medal favorite Michael Phelps of the United States. He edged out his teammate and Olympic veteran Alexey Kovrigin to take a seventh spot by 0.57 of a second in 4:23.20. Berezutskiy failed to advance into the final, as he placed twentieth overall on the first day of preliminaries.[6][7]

Four months after the Olympics, Berezutskiy earned a bronze medal in the same program at the 2004 European Short Course Swimming Championships in Vienna, Austria. He established a short-course personal best of 4:08.91, just nearly five seconds behind winner Cseh, who rivaled him two years before at the European Junior Championships.[8]

At the 2006 FINA World Short Course Championships in Shanghai, China, Berezutskiy won two bronze medals in the 200 (1:56.64) and 400 m individual medley (4:06.81).[9]

In 2007, Berezutskiy announced his retirement from swimming for personal, health, and psychological reasons.

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Igor Berezutskiy". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  2. "Russians, Hungarian Dominate Day One of Euro Junior Champs". Swimming World Magazine. 11 July 2002. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  3. "Russia Dominates as Euro Junior Champs Come to a Close". Swimming World Magazine. 14 July 2002. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  4. "Swimming – Men's 400m Individual Medley Startlist (Heat 5)" (PDF). Athens 2004. Omega Timing. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  5. "Russian National Swimming Championships 2004 – Day 2 Results". Swimnews Online. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  6. "Men's 400m Individual Medley Heat 5". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 14 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  7. Thomas, Stephen (14 August 2004). "Men's 400 IM Prelims: Phelps Cruises to 4:13.29 and Lane 4 for Final. Vendt Qualifies Sixth". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  8. Whitten, Phillip (10 December 2004). "Rupprath Wins Two Gold, Sets World Record on Day 2 of Euro Champs". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  9. "Lochte Takes 400 I.M. in American-Record Time at World Short Course Champs". Swimming World Magazine. 6 April 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
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