Olena Lapunova

Olena Pavlivna Lapunova (Ukrainian: Олена Павлівна Лапунова; born 1 October 1980) is a Ukrainian former swimmer, who specialized in freestyle and individual medley events.[1] She is a three-time Olympian (1996, 2000, and 2004), an eighth-place finalist at the European Championships (1997), and a former Ukrainian record holder in the 200 m freestyle and individual medley.

Olena Lapunova
Personal information
Full nameOlena Pavlivna Lapunova
National team Ukraine
Born (1980-10-01) 1 October 1980
Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle, medley
ClubZS-Ukraina Dnipropetrovsk

Lapunova made her Olympic debut, as Ukraine's youngest swimmer (aged 15), at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. She placed twenty-first in the 200 m freestyle (2:04.07) and twenty-ninth in the 200 m individual medley (2:20.76).[2][3]

In 1998, Lapunova ordered a four-year suspension from FINA, after she was tested positive for the banned metandienone metabolite.[4] The Ukrainian Swimming Federation later reinstated her for an appeal in order to compete at the succeeding Olympics.

On her second Olympic appearance in Sydney 2000, Lapunova extended her program by qualifying for three swimming events. She failed to advance into the succeeding round of her individual events, finishing twenty-sixth in the 200 m freestyle (2:04.39) and thirty-second in the 400 m freestyle (4:19.96).[5][6] She also placed thirteenth as a member of the Ukrainian team in the 4×100 m freestyle relay, with a time of 3:49.11.[7]

Eight years after her first Olympics, Lapunova qualified for her third Ukrainian team, as a 23-year-old, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She eclipsed her personal best and a FINA B-cut of 2:02.30 in the 200 m freestyle from the World Championships in Madrid, Spain.[8][9] She edged out Switzerland's Hanna Miluska to lead the third heat by 0.57 of a second in 2:02.71. Lapunova failed to advance into the semifinals, placing twenty-second overall in the morning prelims.[10][11]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Olena Lapunova". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  2. "Atlanta 1996: Aquatics (Swimming) – Women's 200m Freestyle Heat 5" (PDF). Atlanta 1996. LA84 Foundation. p. 38. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  3. "Atlanta 1996: Aquatics (Swimming) – Women's 200m Individual Medley Heat 4" (PDF). Atlanta 1996. LA84 Foundation. p. 49. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  4. Passa, Dennis (14 January 1998). "4 Chinese swimmers suspended". Associated Press. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  5. "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Women's 200m Freestyle Heat 3" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 183. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  6. "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Women's 400m Freestyle Heat 3" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 190. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  7. "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Women's 4×100m Freestyle Relay Heat 2" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 354. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  8. "Swimming – Women's 200m Freestyle Startlist (Heat 3)" (PDF). Athens 2004. Omega Timing. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  9. "2004 LEN European Aquatics Championships (Madrid, Spain) – Women's 200m Freestyle Semifinals" (PDF). Omega Timing. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  10. "Women's 200m Freestyle Heat 3". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  11. Thomas, Stephen (16 August 2004). "Women's 200 Freestyle, Prelims Day 3: Dana Vollmer Stakes Her Claim as Fastest Qualifier, Benko Also Through to Evening Round". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
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