Nicholas Pankin

Career

He competed at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke and 4 × 100 m medley relay. Pankin was less successful in 1972 and 1976, and finished close to the podium in the medley relay. His last international medal was a bronze in the 200 m braststroke at the 1975 World Championships.

During his career, Pankin set four world records, two in the 100 m (1:062 in 1968 and 1:058 in 1969) and two in the 200 m (2:265 and 2:254 in 1969).

He retired after the 1976 Olympics and then had a long career as a swimming coach in Moscow. His trainees included Dmitry Volkov.

Achievements

• In 1968 he won a bronze medal in the 100 m and narrowly missed a bronze in the 200 m. He also swam the semifinal for the Soviet medley relay team that won a bronze medal. At the 1970 and 1974 European Championships, Pankin won a medal in each of the three event he competed. Domestically, he won 13 titles, in the 100 m (1969, 1971, 1974-1975), 200 m (1969, 1971, 1972, 1974-1975) and in the medley relay (1965, 1969, 1973 and 1975).