Vladimir Kosinsky

Vladimir Kosinsky, the best Soviet breaststroke swimmer of the late 1960s, first competed internationally at the 1964 Olympics, where he surprisingly reached the final of the 200 m breaststroke, although he finished only eighth. The young swimmer had been selected to the Soviet team after he had won silver in the 200 breast at the 1964 Soviet championships. In 1965, Kosinsky won his second medal, a bronze in the medley relay, at the Soviet championships, but did not medal domestically in 1966 and was not selected to the Soviet 1966 European championships team. Kosinsky’s best year was probably 1967, but as there were no international championships that year, he had to settle for only three golds (100 and 200 breaststroke and medley relay) at the Soviet championships, but he also broke his first world record (1:06.7 in 100 m breaststroke) in 1967. In 1968, Kosinsky recorded his second and final world record (2:27.4 in 200 breast) and despite winning only silver in the 200 breaststroke at the Soviet championships, he was quite successful at his second international tournament, the 1968 Olympics, where he won three medals – two individual silvers and a relay bronze. Kosinsky also competed at the 1970 European Championships and at the 1972 Olympic Games, but with less success and also struggled at the Soviet championships, winning only silver in the 200 breaststroke in 1972. He retired from competition after the 1972 Olympics and later worked as a swimming coach with Lokomotiv Leningrad.

Personal Bests: 100 m breaststroke – 1:06.7 (1967); 200 m breaststroke – 2:26.2 (1972).