Halyna Prozumenshchykova-Stepanova

Halyna Prozumenshchykova (later Stepanova), a breaststroke specialist, was the first Soviet swimming star. She was the first Soviet to win an Olympic swim gold, in 1964 in the 200 metre breaststroke, to which she later added two silvers (1968 and 1972 in 100 breaststroke) and two bronzes (200 breast in 1968 and 1972). Prozumenshchykova also won three European titles (1966 and 1970 in 200 breaststroke and 1970 in 100 breaststroke), to which she added two European Championships medley relay silvers (1966, 1970). She also set five world records during her career, four in 200 breast (2:47.7 and 2:45.4 in 1964, 2:45.3 in 1965 and 2:40.8 in 1966) and one in 100 breast (1:15.7 in 1966). Domestically, Prozumenshchykova won 15 Soviet titles, eight in the 200 (1963, 1965-68, 1970-72), five in the 100 (1966-68, 1970, 1971) and two in the medley relay (1963, 1967). Prozumenshchykova finished her sporting career after the 1972 Olympics and later worked for a long time as a children's swimming coach with CSKA Moskva.

Personal Best: 100 m breaststroke – 1:14.99 (1972); 200 m breaststroke – 2:40.7 (1970).