Igor Yemchuk

Igor Yemchuk took up rowing in 1947 and was on the Soviet national team from 1951-58. At the Olympics, he won a double sculls silver in 1952 and a coxed pairs bronze in 1956, while at the European Championships, he won double sculls gold in 1955, coxed pairs silver in 1957 and double sculls bronze in 1954. Yemchuk was a Soviet double sculls champion from 1952-56 and coxed pairs champion from 1957-59.

Yemchuk graduated from Kyiv State University (now Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv) with a geology degree in 1955 and from the Kyiv National Institute of Physical Education (now National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine) with a physical education degree in 1960. He later worked as a rowing coach, serving as the coach of Burevestnik Kyiv from 1959-68, head coach of the Ukrainian SSR national team from 1965-67, coach (1966-67) and head coach (1977-80) of the Soviet national team, and coach of the 1980 Soviet Olympic rowing team. From 1971 until his retirement in 1998 Yemchuk worked at the Kyiv National Institute of Physical Education, as head of the rowing department from 1971-81, as a pro-rector for coaching work from 1981-96, and as head of the water sports department from 1996-98.