Arkady Vyatchanin is a swimmer who has competed for Russia. He competed at the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Vyatchanin started his Olympic career in Athens 2004, but he failed to reach the top eight finals in the backstroke double (100 and 200). He almost claimed a medal by 0.69 of a second with the Russian men's team that included Roman Sloudnov and Alexander Popov in the 4x100 metres medley relay.
Beijing 2008 marked the peak of Vyatchanin's swimming career. When he entered the semifinals of the 100 metres backstroke with the second fastest time from the heats, he blasted a new Olympic and European record (53.06) to briefly lead the field until Hayden Stoeckel lowered it to clear a 53-second barrier in the next heat. Then, he tied for the bronze with Stoeckel in a matching time of 53.18, lagging 0.07 of a second behind Grevers and more than half behind Peirsol. Vyatchanin continued his podium streak by adding his second bronze in the 200 with a new European record (1:54.93), edging out Markus Rogan by more than half a second to clear a sub-1:55 range.
Vyatchanin's feat in the backstroke double soon declined at his third Games in 2012. He missed the top eight final with a ninth place time (53.79) from the semifinals in the 100 and failed to advance from the heats by two-thirds of a second (0.67) in the 200.
Vyatchanin attempted to qualify for his fourth Olympic team under a new banner. In 2013, he expressed his intention to leave the Russian team and compete for another country in international meets. Two years later, he acquired a Serbian citizenship under his name Arkadij Vjatčanjin, but he was denied to swim internationally, including the Olympic Games, because of errors in his sport nationality transfer and residency rule. In 2017, Vyatchanin attained his American citizenship and became eligible to swim for the U.S. national team. A year later, he retired from the sport to pursue coaching duties.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Men's 100m backstroke | 9th |
| Men's 200m backstroke | 11th | |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay | 4th | |
| 2008 | Men's 100m backstroke | 
|
| Men's 200m backstroke |
| |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay | 4th | |
| 2012 | Men's 100m backstroke | 9th |
| Men's 200m backstroke | 17th |
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 100 metres backstroke | Heats | 55.17 |
| Semifinal | 55.20 | |
| Final | Did not advance | |
| 200 metres backstroke | Heats | 2:01.09 |
| Semifinal | 1:59.80 | |
| Final | Did not advance | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:38.07 (55.47 split) |
| Final | 3:35.91 (55.15 split) |
2008[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres backstroke | Heats | 53.64 | |
| Semifinal | 53.06 | OR, AR | |
| Final | 53.18 | ||
| 200 metres backstroke | Heats | 1:56.97 | |
| Semifinal | 1:56.85 | ||
| Swim-off | 1:57.75 | ||
| Final | 1:54.93 | AR | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:33.59 (53.86 split) |
AR |
| Final | 3:31.92 (53.36 split) |
AR |
2012[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 100 metres backstroke | Heats | 54.01 |
| Semifinal | 53.79 | |
| Final | Did not advance | |
| 200 metres backstroke | Heats | 1:58.69 |
| Semifinal | Did not advance | |
| Final |