Denis Pankratov
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Full name | Denis Vladimirovich•Pankratov |
| Used name | Denis•Pankratov |
| Original name | Денис Владимирович•Панкратов |
| Born | 4 July 1974 in Volgograd, Volgograd (RUS) |
| Measurements | 188 cm / 84 kg |
| Affiliations | Volga Volgograd, Volgograd (RUS) |
| NOC |  Russian Federation  Unified Team |
| Nationality | Russian Federation |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 2 |
| Silver | 1 |
| Bronze | 0 |
| Total | 3 |
Biography
Denis Pankratov was the world’s best butterfly swimmer in the mid-1990s. He placed only sixth in the 200 fly at his first international appearance, the 1992 Olympics, but in 1993, at the European Championships in Sheffield, Pankratov won his first international medals, gold medals in the 200 butterfly and medley relay and a silver in the 100 fly. He improved this performance at the 1995 European Championships, winning all three gold medals and breaking Pablo Morales nine-year-old 100 metre butterfly world record with a time of 52.32. Pankratov had swum his first world record a month before the 1995 European Championships in 200 butterfly, recording 1:55.22 in France and that world record stood for over five years until Tom Malchow broke it in 2000. At the 1994 World Championships in Rome, Pankratov won gold in the 200 butterfly, silvers in both the medley and 4×200 freestyle relay and bronze in the 100 fly. But Pankratov’s greatest performance probably occurred at the 1996 Olympics, where he won both butterfly events and silver in the medley relay and set his third and final world record by clocking 52.27 in the 100 butterfly final. Pankratov was named as the male World Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World magazine in 1995 and 1996 and was named as the male European Swimmer of the Year in the same years. Pankratov continued to swim after the 1996 Olympics, but at a lesser level, and never again medaled in a major international tournament. He retired from sports in 2002, and is married to Olha Kyrychenko, who won bronze in the medley relay at the 1992 Olympics.
Personal Bests: 100 m butterfly – 52.27 (1996); 200 m butterfly – 1:55.22 (1995).
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | Nationality | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | EUN |
RUS |
Denis Pankratov | |||
| 200 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 6 | ||||||
| 1996 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | RUS |
Denis Pankratov | ||||
| 100 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | |||||
| 200 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | |||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) | Russian Federation | 2 | Silver | ||||
| 2000 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | RUS |
Denis Pankratov | ||||
| 200 metres Butterfly, Men (Olympic) | 7 |
Olympic family relations
- Husband of Olga Kirichenko
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Long Course Swimming (50 m butterfly – 10 August 1996 - 27 July 2001: 23.68 (10 August 1996; Mulhouse, FRA); 100 m butterfly – 23 August 1995 - 8 July 2000: 52.32 (23 August 1995; Wien, AUT), 52.27 (24 July 1996; Atlanta, USA); 200 m butterfly – 14 June 1995 - 23 July 2001: 1:55.22 (14 June 1995; Canet Roussillon, FRA); 4×100 m medley relay – 11 September 1994 - 23 September 2000: 3:38.28 (11 September 1994; Roma, ITA), 3:38.11 (27 August 1995; Wien, AUT), 3:37.48 (27 April 1996; Moskva, RUS))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a European Record in Short Course Swimming (50 m butterfly – 8 February 1997 - 12 December 1998: 23.35 (8 February 1997; Paris, FRA); 100 m butterfly – 5 February 1997 - 22 January 1998: 51.93 (5 February 1997; Imperia, ITA), 51.78 (9 February 1997; Paris, FRA); 200 m butterfly – 13 February 1993 - 26 March 1994 and 2 February 1997 - 28 March 1998: 1:54.46 (13 February 1993; Gelsenkirchen, GER), 1:52.64 (2 February 1997; Gelsenkirchen, GER); 4×100 m medley relay – 12 February 1993 - 4 April 1999: 3:35.36 (12 February 1993; Gelsenkirchen, GER), 3:32.56 (17 April 1997; Göteborg, SWE))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m butterfly – 23 August 1995 - 9 October 1997: 52.32 (23 August 1995; Wien, AUT) (competed for Russia), 52.27 (24 July 1996; Atlanta, USA) (competed for Russia); 200 m butterfly – 14 June 1995 - 17 June 2000: 1:55.22 (14 June 1995; Canet-en-Roussillon, FRA) (competed for Russia))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Short Course Swimming (50 m butterfly – 8 February 1997 - 12 December 1998: 23.35 (8 February 1997; Paris, FRA) (competed for Russia); 100 m butterfly – 4 February 1996 - 22 January 1998: 51.94 (4 February 1996; Paris, FRA) (competed for Russia), 51.93 (5 February 1997; Imperia, ITA) (competed for Russia), 51.78 (7 February 1997; Paris, FRA) (competed for Russia); 200 m butterfly – 2 February 1997 - 28 March 1998: 1:52.64 (2 February 1997; Gelsenkirchen, GER) (competed for Russia))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the European Aquatics Championships (5–1–0 1993 Sheffield SWM gold: 200 m butterfly and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 100 m butterfly (competed for Russia); 1995 Wien SWM gold: 100 m butterfly, 200 m butterfly, and 4×100 m medley relay (competed for Russia))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (1–2–0 1994 Roma SWI gold: 200 m butterfly; silver: 4×200 m freestyle relay and 4×100 m medley relay (competed for Russia))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Short-Course Swimming Championships (25 m) (0–1–0 1997 Göteborg silver: 4×100 m medley relay (competed for Russia))
- Listed in Olympic Swimmers - Doubles Champions, Same Year (1996 100/200 Butterfly Champion.)