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Aleksandr MALTSEV
Sport Artistic Swimming
NOC Russia   
GenderMen
Born22 Jun 1995 in St. Petersburg, RUS
Height1.75 m
 Human Interest 
Further Personal Information
Residence
Moscow, RUS
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
MGFSO: Moscow, RUS
Further Personal Information
Higher education
Coaching - Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism: Moscow, RUS
General Interest
Hobbies
Going to the theatre and the cinema, painting, literature, science. (Athlete, 23 Oct 2020)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning two gold medals at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. (Athlete, 23 Oct 2020)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
"When I was seven, my mother enrolled me in a synchronised swimming group at a local sports school. At the time, they accepted everyone, boys and girls. My mother thought that this artistic sport would be good for my all-round development and she was absolutely right."
General Interest
Most influential person in career
His parents. (Athlete, 15 Nov 2017)
Hero / Idol
French artistic swimmer Virginie Dedieu, Spanish artistic swimmers Gemma Mengual and Andrea Fuentes. (fina.org, 15 May 2020)
Ambitions
To compete at the Olympic Games. (mk.ru, 03 Aug 2021)
Awards and honours
He was named Male Artistic Swimmer of the Year for 2019 and 2021 by the European Swimming Federation [LEN]. (len.eu, 31 Jan 2022, 09 Jan 2020)

He shared the 2015 FINA Best Male Artistic Swimmer award with Bill May of the United States of America. He won the same award in 2017, sharing it with Giorgio Minisini of Italy, and again in 2019 and 2021. (fina.org, 17 Dec 2021, 07 Feb 2020, 02 Dec 2017, 31 Jan 2016)

In 2015 he received the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation. (minsport.gov.ru, 30 Dec 2015)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach
Tatiana Pokrovskaya [national], RUS; Gana Maximova [personal], RUS, from 2013; Maria Maksimova [personal], RUS, from 2013
When and where did you begin this sport?
He took up the sport at age seven in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.
International Debut
Year
2015
Competing for
Russia
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete
Languages
English, Russian
General Interest
Other information
PIONEER
He became the first male artistic swimmer to represent the Russian Federation at the world championships when he competed in mixed duet at the 2015 edition of the tournament. "I realise that I am a pioneer who is doing something new. I hope that my example will serve as an inspiration for a new generation of synchro swimmers. Although many coaches, especially older generations, are not ready yet to deal with boys and don't know how to work with them. In my mind, the future of the sport rests on the shoulders of young coaches. I believe that a person is determined by their personality, not gender. Anyone should have the right to do what the soul is inclined to." (sobaka.ru, 02 Aug 2019; lenta.ru, 08 Aug 2017)

FURTHER EDUCATION
He has studied for a PhD at the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism. His thesis deals with the training process in artistic swimming. (Athlete, 26 Oct 2020)
Nicknames
Sasha, Don Juan [because he has had a lot of partners in the mixed duet]. (fina.org, 15 May 2020; esquire.ru, 14 Jun 2018)
Milestones
When mixed-gender artistic swimming made its debut at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, Russian Federation, he became the first male Russian athlete to compete in the sport at world championship level. He also won the first gold medal in mixed duet free routine with partner Darina Valitova at the championships. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jun 2018; lenta.ru, 08 Aug 2017; rbth.com, 19 Feb 2015)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"If you love your occupation, then perform it as well as possible." (daily.afisha.ru, 20 Dec 2019)

 Competition Highlights
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR Duet Technical Routine 92.074
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR Duet Free Routine 92.966
2 2017 Budapest, HUN Duet Technical Routine 90.263
1 2017 Budapest, HUN Duet Free Routine 92.600
1 2015 Kazan, RUS Duet Free Routine 91.733
2 2015 Kazan, RUS Duet Technical Routine 88.299 
European Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2021 Budapest, HUN Duet Free Routine 93.933
1 2021 Budapest, HUN Duet Technical Routine 91.796
1 2018 Glasgow, SCO Duet Free Routine 92.400
1 2018 Glasgow, SCO Duet Technical Routine 89.585
1 2016 London, ENG Duet Free Routine 90.466
1 2016 London, ENG Duet Technical Routine 89.090