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Yuliya EFIMOVA
Sport Swimming
NOC ROC   
GenderWomen
Born03 Apr 1992 in Groznyy, RUS
 Human Interest 
General Interest
Injuries
After winning gold in the 50m breaststroke at the 2017 Russian Short Course Championships in Kazan, Russian Federation, she withdrew from the following events at the tournament because of an injury relapse. It also made her miss the 2017 European Short Course Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. (SportsDeskOnline, 14 May 2021; Facebook profile, 20 Nov 2017; tass.ru, 22 Nov 2017)

She swam with an injured leg at the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Italy. (izvestia.ru, 03 Aug 2009)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport?
She took up acrobatics first but her father suggested she should start swimming. "My dad is a coach. From the very beginning, he wanted to make me an athlete. I don't know, maybe it was his unrealised dream. He was also an athlete, but not of such a high level. I did a lot of things. I was so versatile, but most of all I liked swimming."
General Interest
Awards and honours
She was named 2017 Sportswoman of the Year by the All Russian Swimming Federation. (swimswam.com, 25 Dec 2017)

In 2008, 2015 and 2016 she was named the Russian Swimming Federation's Female Swimmer of the Year. (swimswam.com, 24 Dec 2016; russwimming.ru, 21 Dec 2015, 19 Apr 2013)

For her achievements at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she received the Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation. (kremlin.ru, 25 Aug 2016)

In recognition of her performance at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she was given the Order for Merit to the Fatherland [second grade] of the Russian Federation. (kremlin.ru, 13 Aug 2012)

She has received the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation. (olympic.ru, 01 Mar 2021)
Sport Specific Information
Name of coach
David Salo [personal, club], USA; Andrey Efimov [personal, father], RUS
When and where did you begin this sport?
She began swimming as a child and took up training at age seven in Volgodonsk, Russian Federation.
Further Personal Information
Occupation
Athlete
General Interest
Other information
OLYMPIC MOTIVATION
She has said that adding an Olympic gold medal to her six world championship golds provides the biggest motivation for her to carry on competing in swimming. "I am staying in swimming for one thing, an Olympic gold medal. I still don't have it. If I had won it in 2008, 2012 or 2016, I probably would not have stayed in swimming for such a long time. It's the only thing that keeps me going. It is difficult, physically and morally, to keep going. Sometimes you think, 'Why am I doing this?' But these doubts happen rarely." (sports.ru, 07 Oct 2019)

SANCTION
In late 2013 she tested positive for the banned substance dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA] at an out-of-competition test. She claimed she unknowingly allowed the substance to enter her body through a supplement she purchased in the United States of America. The supplement did include DHEA on the label of the product, but she claimed her lack of English skills and previous use of a similar supplement that did not contain DHEA contributed to her taking the product. In May 2014 a FINA doping panel found she had been negligent in failing to read the label of the product but that "subjective considerations unique to her situation [did] justify evaluating her fault at a lower level". She was subsequently suspended from competition for 16 months from 31 October 2013 to 28 February 2015, with all results obtained during this period disqualified. (fina.org, 12 May 2014; swimmingworldmagazine.com, 13 May 2014; tas-cas.org, 04 Aug 2016)
Further Personal Information
Residence
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Languages
English, Russian
General Interest
Hero / Idol
US swimmer Michael Phelps, Russian swimmer Aleksandr Popov. (nashgorod.ru, 09 Aug 2013)
International Debut
Year
2007
Competing for
Russia
Tournament
World Cup
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team
Novaquatics: Irvine, CA, USA
General Interest
Hobbies
Spending time with her dog Jasper, surfing, snowboarding. (matchtv.ru, 03 Nov 2021; sovsport.ru, 21 Nov 2019; sports.ru, 07 Oct 2019)
Milestones
She became the first female swimmer representing the Russian Federation to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympic Games when she claimed silver in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In addition to her bronze medal from the 2012 Games in London, the two medals she won at the 2016 Games made her the first female swimmer representing the Russian Federation to win three Olympic medals. (SportsDeskOnline, 14 May 2021)

At the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, the gold medal she won in the 200m breaststroke was her 12th world championship medal. It meant she had won more career world championship medals than any other swimmer representing the Russian Federation, moving her one clear of Aleksandr Popov. She went on to win two more medals at the 2017 world championships and a further three at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea, taking her overall tally to 17. (SportsDeskOnline, 14 May 2021; teamrussia.pro, 30 Jul 2019)

Her gold in the 200m breaststroke at the 2019 world championships saw her equal Aleksandr Popov's record of six world championship gold medals in swimming for the Russian Federation. (SportsDeskOnline, 14 May 2021; teamrussia.pro, 30 Jul 2019)

She became the first female swimmer representing the Russian Federation to win a world title when she won gold in the 50m breaststroke at the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Italy. (SportsDeskOnline, 14 May 2021; teamrussia.pro, 30 Jul 2019)
Memorable sporting achievement
Winning silver medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (teamrussia.pro, 25 Dec 2019)
Sport Specific Information
Training Regime
She trains six days per week with a day off on Sunday. She trains for six hours daily, broke up into two hours of swimming between five and six kilometres, two hours of gym work and two hours of stretching or jogging.
General Interest
Most influential person in career
Her father and coach Andrey Efimov. (sports.ru, 07 Oct 2019)

 Competition Highlights
Olympic Games
Rank Year Venue Event Result
5 2021 Tokyo, JPN 100m Breaststroke 1:06.02
  2021 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
2 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 100m Breaststroke 1:05.50
2 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 200m Breaststroke 2:21.97
6 2016 Rio de Janeiro, BRA 4 x 100m Medley Relay  
7 2012 London, ENG 100m Breaststroke 1:06.98 
3 2012 London, ENG 200m Breaststroke 2:20.92 
4 2012 London, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:56.03
4 2008 Beijing, CHN 100m Breaststroke 1:07.43
5 2008 Beijing, CHN 200m Breaststroke 2:23.76
5 2008 Beijing, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:57.84
World Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2019 Gwangju, KOR 200m Breaststroke 2:20.17
3 2019 Gwangju, KOR 50m Breaststroke 30.15
2 2019 Gwangju, KOR 100m Breaststroke 1:05.49
14 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Individual Medley 2:12.88 
1 2017 Budapest, HUN 200m Breaststroke 2:19.64
2 2017 Budapest, HUN 50m Breaststroke 29.57
3 2017 Budapest, HUN 100m Breaststroke 1:05.05
2 2017 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:53.38
Heats 2015 Kazan, RUS 200m Breaststroke 2:26.11
1 2015 Kazan, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:05.66
3 2015 Kazan, RUS 50m Breaststroke 30.13
5 2015 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:44.83
1 2013 Barcelona, ESP 200m Breaststroke 2:19.41
2 2013 Barcelona, ESP 100m Breaststroke 1:05.02
1 2013 Barcelona, ESP 50m Breaststroke 29.52
3 2013 Barcelona, ESP 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:56.47
2 2011 Shanghai, CHN 50m Breaststroke 30.49
4 2011 Shanghai, CHN 100m Breaststroke 1:06.56
2 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Breaststroke 2:22.22
Heat 2011 Shanghai, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:15.56
4 2011 Shanghai, CHN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:57.38
Semifinal 2009 Rome, ITA 200m Breaststroke 2:26.39
2 2009 Rome, ITA 100m Breaststroke 1:05.41
1 2009 Rome, ITA 50m Breaststroke 30.09
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
4 2010 Dubai, UAE 50m Breaststroke 29.99
7 2010 Dubai, UAE 100m Breaststroke 1:05.50
4 2010 Dubai, UAE 200m Breaststroke 2:19.69
4 2010 Dubai, UAE 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:53.08
3 2008 Manchester, ENG 200m Breaststroke 2:20.48
8 2008 Manchester, ENG 50m Breaststroke  DSQ
5 2008 Manchester, ENG 100m Breaststroke 1:05.71
5 2008 Manchester, ENG 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:58.38
European Championships
Rank Year Venue Event Result
3 2021 Budapest, HUN 50m Breaststroke 30.22
3 2021 Budapest, HUN 200m Breaststroke 2:22.16
4 2021 Budapest, HUN 100m Breaststroke 1:06.33
2 2021 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:56.25
4 2021 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:43.60
1 2018 Glasgow, SCO 100m Breaststroke 1:05.53
1 2018 Glasgow, SCO 200m Breaststroke 2:21.31
1 2018 Glasgow, SCO 50m Breaststroke 29.81
Heats 2018 Glasgow, SCO 200m Individual Medley 2:15.35
1 2018 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:54.22
2 2018 Glasgow, SCO 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:42.71
1 2010 Budapest, HUN 50m Breaststroke 30.29 
1 2010 Budapest, HUN 100m Breaststroke 1:06.32
8 2010 Budapest, HUN 4 x 100m Medley Relay  DSQ
2 2008 Eindhoven, NED 50m Breaststroke 31.41
Heats 2008 Eindhoven, NED 100m Breaststroke 1:10.01
1 2008 Eindhoven, NED 200m Breaststroke 2:24.09
2 2008 Eindhoven, NED 4 x 100m Medley Relay 4:00.47
European Championships Short Course
Rank Year Venue Event Result
1 2013 Herning, DEN 50m Breaststroke 29.04
1 2013 Herning, DEN 200m Breaststroke 2:14.39
5 2013 Herning, DEN 200m Individual Medley 2:06.90
2 2013 Herning, DEN 100m Breaststroke 1:02.96
1 2013 Herning, DEN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:44.67
  2013 Herning, DEN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:37.63 DSQ
1 2007 Debrecen, HUN 50m Breaststroke 30.33
1 2007 Debrecen, HUN 200m Breaststroke 2:19.08 
1 2007 Debrecen, HUN 100m Breaststroke 1:04.95
World Cup
Rank Year Venue Event Result
10 2021   Overall Ranking  
1 2021 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:22.19
1 2021 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 1:06.08
1 2021 Doha, QAT 50m Breaststroke 30.11
1 2021 Kazan, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:04.56
2 2021 Kazan, RUS 200m Breaststroke 2:20.49
2 2021 Kazan, RUS 50m Breaststroke 29.65
4 2018   Overall Ranking  
1 2018 Beijing, CHN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.09
2 2018 Beijing, CHN 50m Breaststroke 29.63
5 2018 Beijing, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:10.56
1 2018 Beijing, CHN 200m Breaststroke 2:16.98
1 2018 Budapest, HUN 200m Breaststroke 2:17.88
2 2018 Budapest, HUN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.48
2 2018 Budapest, HUN 50m Breaststroke 29.22
3 2018 Budapest, HUN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.90
1 2018 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:23.55
1 2018 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 1:06.27
2 2018 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 2:13.60
1 2018 Doha, QAT 50m Breaststroke 30.43
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 200m Breaststroke 2:15.62
1 2018 Eindhoven, NED 100m Breaststroke 1:03.41
2 2018 Eindhoven, NED 50m Breaststroke 29.50
2 2018 Eindhoven, NED 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.00
1 2018 Kazan, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:05.94
1 2018 Kazan, RUS 50m Breaststroke 30.92
2 2018 Kazan, RUS 4 x 100m Medley Relay 3:47.77
1 2018 Singapore, SGP 200m Breaststroke 2:16.05
2 2018 Singapore, SGP 100m Breaststroke 1:03.58
  2018 Singapore, SGP 50m Breaststroke  DSQ
1 2018 Tokyo, JPN 200m Breaststroke 2:16.29
2 2018 Tokyo, JPN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.42
2 2018 Tokyo, JPN 50m Breaststroke 29.56
21 2017   Overall  
1 2017 Tokyo, JPN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.90
7 2017 Tokyo, JPN 100m Individual Medley 1:00.41
3 2017 Tokyo, JPN 200m Breaststroke 2:19.21
5 2017 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:42.99
  2017 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay  DSQ
4 2016   Overall  
3 2016 Beijing, CHN 100m Breaststroke 1:04.49
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 200m Breaststroke 2:19.46
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 50m Breaststroke 29.66
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:40.25
2 2016 Beijing, CHN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:33.03
3 2016 Berlin, GER 100m Breaststroke 1:03.17
3 2016 Berlin, GER 200m Individual Medley 2:06.93
2 2016 Berlin, GER 50m Breaststroke 29.08
2 2016 Berlin, GER 200m Breaststroke 2:16.88
1 2016 Berlin, GER 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.77
1 2016 Berlin, GER 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:32.07
2 2016 Doha, QAT 50m Breaststroke 29.27
2 2016 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:16.39
2 2016 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 1:03.27
2 2016 Doha, QAT 200m Individual Medley 2:07.29
1 2016 Doha, QAT 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:40.77
1 2016 Doha, QAT 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:32.32
3 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Breaststroke 1:03.43
3 2016 Dubai, UAE 200m Individual Medley 2:07.82
2 2016 Dubai, UAE 50m Breaststroke 29.27
2 2016 Dubai, UAE 200m Breaststroke 2:17.88
5 2016 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 1:05.88
1 2016 Dubai, UAE 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:40.81
1 2016 Dubai, UAE 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:33.37
2 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.64
2 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Individual Medley 2:07.07
3 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 50m Breaststroke 29.77
1 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 200m Breaststroke 2:16.49
1 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.82
1 2016 Hong Kong, CHN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:32.61
1 2016 Moscow, RUS 50m Breaststroke 29.19
1 2016 Moscow, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:02.91
3 2016 Moscow, RUS 200m Individual Medley 2:06.79
1 2016 Moscow, RUS 200m Breaststroke 2:16.54
1 2016 Moscow, RUS 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.67
3 2016 Paris, FRA 100m Breaststroke 1:04.14
2 2016 Paris, FRA 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.89
2 2016 Singapore, SGP 100m Breaststroke 1:03.21
3 2016 Singapore, SGP 200m Individual Medley 2:08.17
2 2016 Singapore, SGP 200m Breaststroke 2:19.08
2 2016 Singapore, SGP 50m Breaststroke 29.40
1 2016 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.34
2 2016 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:31.73
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.09
3 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Individual Medley 2:07.33
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 200m Breaststroke 2:17.37
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 50m Breaststroke 29.19
1 2016 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.49
2 2016 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 1:32.21
12 2013   Overall  
1 2013 Doha, QAT 50m Breaststroke 29.22
2 2013 Doha, QAT 200m Breaststroke 2:19.48
2 2013 Doha, QAT 100m Breaststroke 1:04.68
4 2013 Dubai, UAE 200m Individual Medley 2:09.88
2 2013 Dubai, UAE 100m Breaststroke 1:04.00
1 2013 Dubai, UAE 200m Breaststroke 2:19.73
1 2013 Dubai, UAE 50m Breaststroke 29.27
2 2013 Moscow, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:03.53
  2013 Moscow, RUS 50m Breaststroke  DSQ
1 2013 Moscow, RUS 200m Breaststroke 2:18.50
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 50m Breaststroke 29.25
1 2013 Singapore, SGP 200m Breaststroke 2:18.33
2 2013 Singapore, SGP 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:40.84
2 2013 Tokyo, JPN 100m Breaststroke 1:03.02
1 2013 Tokyo, JPN 50m Breaststroke 28.71
1 2013 Tokyo, JPN 200m Breaststroke 2:17.37
2 2013 Tokyo, JPN 4 x 50m Medley Relay 1:39.69
3 2011 Dubai, UAE 100m Breaststroke 1:06.42
2 2011 Dubai, UAE 50m Breaststroke 30.75
3 2011 Dubai, UAE 100m Individual Medley 1:02.05
2 2011 Moscow, RUS 50m Breaststroke 30.54
44 2010   Overall  
1 2010 Berlin, GER 100m Breaststroke 1:05.54
2 2010 Berlin, GER 200m Breaststroke 2:22.81
1 2010 Berlin, GER 50m Breaststroke 30.16
1 2010 Moscow, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:06.50
1 2010 Moscow, RUS 50m Breaststroke 30.28
2 2007 Berlin, GER 100m Breaststroke 1:06.16
1 2007 Berlin, GER 200m Breaststroke 2:20.95
1 2007 Berlin, GER 50m Breaststroke 30.29
1 2007 Moscow, RUS 100m Breaststroke 1:07.52
1 2007 Moscow, RUS 50m Breaststroke 30.80
1 2007 Moscow, RUS 200m Breaststroke 2:25.08
1 2007 Stockholm, SWE 100m Breaststroke 1:05.41
1 2007 Stockholm, SWE 50m Breaststroke 30.42
1 2007 Stockholm, SWE 200m Breaststroke 2:21.41