Elena Dendeberova is a swimmer who has competed for the Soviet Union and the Unified Team. She competed at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games. She was also selected to the Soviet team for Los Angeles 1984, but the Eastern Bloc boycott denied her the opportunity to participate.
Dendeberova was considered one of the world's top female all-around swimmers in the 1980s. At her first Olympics in 1988, she became the only Soviet woman to win an Olympic medal in swimming when she claimed a silver behind Daniela Hunger in the 200 metres individual medley. Her outcomes in the next races declined, as she barely missed another medal in the 400 and placed fifth with the Soviet women's team in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay.
Barcelona 1992 turned to be a deception for Dendeberova as she struggled to reach her peak from Seoul. She faltered near the end with a fourth spot each in the 200 metres individual medley and as a member of the Unified Team in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay. Furthermore, she landed on the top spot and ninth overall in the B-finals of the 200 metres freestyle, almost cracking the two-minute barrier by the narrowest margins.
After she retired from competitive swimming in 1992, Dendeberova married two-time Olympic swimming medalist Viktor Kuznetsov, and they worked together as swimming coaches in St. Petersburg.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Women's 200m individual medley | 
|
| Women's 400m individual medley | 4th | |
| Women's 4x100m freestyle relay | 5th | |
| 1992 | Women's 200m freestyle | 9th |
| Women's 200m individual medley | 4th | |
| Women's 4x100m freestyle relay | 4th |
1988[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 200 metres individual medley | Heats | 2:15.30 |
| A Final | 2:13.31 | |
| 400 metres individual medley | Heats | 4:46.63 |
| A Final | 4:40.44 | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:46.28 (56.02 split) |
| Final | 3:44.99 (56.49 split) |
1992[]
| Discipline | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 200 metres freestyle | Heats | 2:01.28 |
| B Final | 2:00.09 | |
| 200 metres individual medley | Heats | 2:17.13 |
| A Final | 2:15.47 | |
| 4x100 metres freestyle relay | Heats | 3:45.06 (56.20 split) |
| Final | 3:43.68 (55.79 split) |