Georgy Prokopenko

Along with fellow Ukrainian Galina Prozumenshchikova-Stepanova, Georgy Prokopenko, a breaststroke specialist like Prozumenshchykova, was one of the first Soviet swimming stars. Prokopenko rose into fame in 1960 when he won his first Soviet title and was selected to the Soviet 1960 Olympic team. At the Olympics Prokopenko was not very successful, only reaching the semifinals of the 200 metre breaststroke. At his next major international tournament, however, the 1962 European Championships, Prokopenko won the 200 breaststroke title, which he successfully defended in 1966. He also won gold in the medley relay at the 1966 Europeans. Before the 1964 Olympics, Prokopenko set his only two world records, both in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.4 in March and 1:06.9 in September) and went to the Olympics as one of the favorites to the 200 breaststroke gold. At the Olympics, however, Prokopenko had to settle for silver behind Australian Ian O’Brien, who broke the world record. Domestically, Prokopenko was a six-time Soviet champion: in the 100 breaststroke in 1962, 1964, and 1966, and in the 200 breaststroke in 1960, 1964 and 1965.

Personal Best: 100 breaststroke – 1:06.9 (1964); 200 breaststroke – 2:28.2 (1964).