Nina Zhivanevskaya

As a 15-year-old, Nina Zhivanevskaya made her international début at the 1992 Olympics, winning bronze as a member of the Unified Team’s medley relay team. After the fall of Soviet Union, Zhivanevskaya represented Russia until 1999, when she married a Spanish citizen and represented Spain for the remainder of her career. For more than a decade Zhivanevskaya was considered one of the world’s top female backstroke sprinters. In addition to her 1992 Olympic bronze, she won another bronze at the 2000 Olympics in the 100 back. At the World Championships Zhivanevskaya won a full set of medals: gold in the 2003 50 metre backstroke, silver in the 1994 100 backstroke, and bronze in the 1994 medley relay. At the European Championships Zhivanevskaya won four gold medals (50/100/200 backstroke in 2000 and the 50 backstroke in 2003), seven silver medals (100 backstroke and medley relay in 1993; 50/100 backstroke in 1999; 200 backstroke in 2002; and the 50 backstroke in 2004/2008) and five bronze medalss (200 backstroke and 4x100 free relay in 1993 and 100 backstroke in 1995, 2004 and 2008). She also won both the 100 and 200 backstroke events at the 2001 Mediterranean Games. Zhivanevskaya retired from sports after the 2008 Olympics.

Personal Best: 50 m backstroke – 28.11 (2008); 100 m backstroke – 1:00.29 (2008); 200 m backstroke – 2:09.53 (2000).