Nina Zhivanevskaya

Nina Aleksandrovna Zhivanevskaya (Russian: Нина Александровна Живаневская, born 24 June 1977) is a 5-time Olympic backstroke swimmer from Russia, who has swum for Spain since 1999, following her marriage to a Spaniard (and moving to Spain).

Nina Zhivanevskaya

Personal information
Full name	Nina Aleksandrovna Zhivanevskaya
Nationality	Russia (pre-1999)  Spain (1999-)
Born	(1977-06-24) 24 June 1977 Kuybyshev, USSR
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	123 lb (56 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke
Club	C.N. Sabadell (2000) C. Valenciano N. (2008)
Medal record Women's swimming Olympic Games Representing the  Unified Team 1992 Barcelona 4×100 m medley Representing  Spain 2000 Sydney 100 m backstroke World Championships (LC) Representing  Russia 1994 Rome 100 m backstroke 1994 Rome 4×100 m medley Representing  Spain 2003 Barcelona 50 m backstroke European Championships (LC) Representing  Russia 1993 Sheffield 100 m backstroke 1993 Sheffield 4×100 m medley 1993 Sheffield 200 m backstroke 1993 Sheffield 4×100 m freestyle 1995 Vienna 100 m backstroke Representing  Spain 2000 Helsinki 50 m backstroke 2000 Helsinki 100 m backstroke 2000 Helsinki 200 m backstroke 2002 Berlin 50 m backstroke 1999 Istanbul 50 m backstroke 1999 Istanbul 100 m backstroke 2002 Berlin 200 m backstroke 2004 Madrid 50 m backstroke 2008 Eindhoven 50 m backstroke 2004 Madrid 100 m backstroke 2008 Eindhoven 100 m backstroke European Championships (SC) Representing  Russia 1992 Espoo 50 m backstroke 1993 Gateshead 50 m backstroke Representing  Spain 1999 Lisbon 100 m backstroke 1999 Lisbon 50 m backstroke 1999 Lisbon 200 m backstroke 2000 Valencia 50 m backstroke 2000 Valencia 200 m backstroke 2000 Valencia 100 m backstroke Mediterranean Games 2001 Tunis 100 m backstroke 2001 Tunis 200 m backstroke

She swam at the 1992 Olympics for the Unified Team, Russia at the 1996 Olympics, and Spain at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. At the 1992 Games, she won a bronze medal in the 4×100 m medley relay, and was the youngest member of the Unified Team swimming squad (18 men and 11 women), with 15 years and 35 days.

She won the bronze medal in the 100 m backstroke a year later at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.[1]

Zhivanevskaya took part in the 2008 Olympic Games, reaching the semi-finals in the 100 m backstroke. After this event, she announced she was retiring from the sport so that she could concentrate on her family.[2]