Alexander Popov is a swimmer who has competed for the Unified Team and Russia. He competed at the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
Popov is considered by many as the greatest sprint freestyle swimmer ever. He claimed two golds in the sprint freestyle double (50 and 100) at Barcelona 1992 and defended both titles four years later in Atlanta. He also added a silver each as a member of the Unified Team and Russian teams in the 4x100 metres freestyle and medley relay races. One month after the Atlanta Games, he was stabbed in the abdomen with a knife during a dispute with three Moscow street vendors. The knife sliced his artery, grazed one of his kidneys, and damaged the membrane that encased the lungs. He had emergency surgery and spent three months in rehabilitation.
When he entered his third Games at Sydney 2000, he lost the 100 metres freestyle title to the new world record holder Pieter van den Hoogenband by 0.39 seconds. He also swam the other half of the sprint freestyle double (50) but slipped off the podium to sixth. At his fourth Olympics in 2004, Popov was selected to carry the Russian flag at the opening ceremony. He was expected for another medal in the same races, but he failed to enter the finals. In January 2005, Popov retired from competitive swimming.
He was elected as a full member of the International Olympic Committee in December 1999. He also represented the athletes on the IOC Sport for All Commission and was re-elected in 2000 and currently serves as the IOC Athletes’ Commission’s Honorary Secretary.
He has been named to the IOC Evaluation Commission for Rio de Janeiro 2016. On the local side, Popov serves as a member of the Executive Committee to the Russian National Olympic Committee.
He is married to Atlanta 1996 swimmer Daria Shmeleva.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Men's 50m freestyle | 
|
| Men's 100m freestyle |
| |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 
| |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay |
| |
| 1996 | Men's 50m freestyle |
|
| Men's 100m freestyle |
| |
| Men's 100m backstroke | DNS | |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay |
| |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay |
| |
| 2000 | Men's 50m freestyle | 6th |
| Men's 100m freestyle |
| |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 8th | |
| 2004 | Men's 50m freestyle | 18th |
| Men's 100m freestyle | 9th | |
| Men's 4x100m freestyle relay | 4th | |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay | 4th |
1992[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 22.21 | |
| A Final | 21.91 | OR | |
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 49.29 | |
| A Final | 49.02 | NR | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:17.48 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:17.56 (47.83 split) |
||
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:42.22 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:38.56 (47.83 split) |
AR |
1996[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 22.22 | |
| A Final | 22.13 | ||
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 48.74 | NR |
| A Final | 48.74 | NR | |
| 100 metres backstroke | Heats | DNS | |
| Final | Did not advance | ||
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:20.39 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:17.06 (47.88 split) |
AR | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:41.49 (55.71 split) |
|
| Final | 3:37.55 (48.81 split) |
AR | |
2000[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 22.15 |
| Semifinal | 22.17 | |
| Final | 22.24 | |
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 49.29 |
| Semifinal | 48.84 | |
| Final | 48.69 | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:19.70 (49.72 split) |
| Final | DQ (No time) |
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 50 metres freestyle | Heats | 22.58 |
| Semifinal | Did not advance | |
| Final | ||
| 100 metres freestyle | Heats | 49.51 |
| Semifinal | 49.23 | |
| Final | Did not advance | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:17.46 (Reserve) |
| Final | 3:15.75 (48.06 split) | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:38.07 (Reserve) |
| Final | 3:35.91 (48.02 split) |