Julia Efimova (swimming): biography and achievements of the participant of the Olympiad in Rio

Yulia Yefimova, already in her twenty-four years, is a titled sportswoman, a condemned sports master. The Russian swimmer began to perform at international competitions since 2007. Since then, until now, she received only 4 bronze medals at 14 gold and 8 silver. Efimova (swimming for which - the native element) repeatedly won in European championships, four times in world championships, is the bronze medalist and silver winner of the most prestigious sports competitions - the Olympic Games (in 2012 in London and in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro).

In addition to awards in the sports arena, Julia was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Volgodonsk, which is very valuable for her. After the Olympics in Rio, the athlete was awarded the Order of Friendship for high sporting achievements.

Training from a young age and the first mentors

Julia was born in the family of coach Andrei Mikhailovich Efimov (swimming). Biography athlete has been since April 1992. The family lived in Grozny, but later was forced to leave the city because of the First Chechen war that began. Moving to Volgodonsk was marked for a beginner athlete by visiting a sports school and training under the guidance of his father, who was of the opinion that the child should be taught to swim during the very period when he hardly knows how to walk.

Later, when she was a teenager, having good prospects for achieving high sports awards, the girl moved to Taganrog and fell into the hands of Irina Viatchanina, the deserved Russian swimming coach. Since the spring of 2011, Julia has lived in the United States, where until recently she trained with a legendary mentor with a world-famous name - David Salo. In the summer of 2016, the Olympics ended. Efimov did not plan to throw, but from the illustrious coach decided to leave.

International competitions and participation in the Olympic Games

The athlete already in 15 years was awarded a serious award. Participating in the European tournament, Julia was the first at the distances of 50, 100 and 200 meters in the style of the breaststroke. At the same time, on the hundred-meter mark, it set a record.

The victories in other competitions followed one after another, however the first Olympic games for the sportswoman in 2008 (Beijing) did not bring medals - Efimova took 4th and 5th places at the distances of 100 and 200 meters breaststroke. But this did not stop Yulia in the same year being awarded the title of the best swimmer of Russia and winning the nomination "Discovery of the Year." The second Olympic cycle was very successful for the sportswoman - participation in the European Championships in 2010 brought two gold at once - on 50- and 100-meter breaststroke.

Within the framework of the London Olympics in 2012, Yefimova won bronze at the two hundred-meter distance breaststroke.

Doping scandal

In preparation for the Olympics in Rio (2016) in 2014 around the name of Efimova scandal erupted. The tests performed by her in 2013 in the out-of-competition period showed the presence of doping. Followed by an explanatory from the athlete, in which she confessed to eating supplements. The head coach of the team suggested that the athlete took the drugs as food additives in order to overcome excess weight. There were lengthy proceedings and a total - disqualification from October 2013 to February 2015 (a total of 18 months). Together with these measures, Efimov was deprived of the last five awards won at the European Championships.

After the end of the ban, the athlete continued training, and in the summer of 2015, at the World Championships held in the capital of Tatarstan, she won for the first time. In the tournament, her medal of the highest test was the only one for the whole team.

Disqualification before the Olympics and lawsuit in the Sports Arbitration Court

After disqualification for possible use of the prohibited drug, this time meldonia, followed by participation in the American tournament (Los Angeles), where Efimova also achieved a high result. Before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro there was very little time left. International Swimming Federation because of doping scandals did not allow the swimmer to participate in the games.

However, Julia decided to defend her case - the girl filed a lawsuit in the arbitration court. After examining her complaint, the judges came to the conclusion that the athlete was dismissed inappropriately. IOC authorized to speak to Yefimova in Rio. It was already the third Olympics. Swimming (final) Yefimov twice successfully. In the first heat on the hundred-meter stage in the style of the brass Julia came to the finish second, losing to the winner - American Lilly King.

The public was furious, Efimov was booed. And after awarding the winners to the journalists' questions about the Russian athlete, King spoke very unpleasantly. Later, and titled American athletes Rio King and Michael supported the criticism of King. Julia was very dignified and tried to not react to pressure from the Western media.

In the subsequent competitions, already at the 200-meter distance, Yefimova again achieved a high second result. Swimming (Rio) has become one of the most discussed sports.

Personal life

Relations with the opposite sex athlete always hid from journalists, believing that it is necessary to disclose the truth, only being confident 100 percent in the partner. In early 2015, the media said that the girl appeared elected. They became Nikita Lobintsev, a Russian swimmer who, like Julia, is a prize-winner of the Olympic Games (Beijing and London).

In Beijing, the athlete was awarded silver, and in the London Olympics - 2012 Nikita in the relay with his team won a bronze award. It is curious that Lobintsev also trained in California with D. Salo.

Currently

The athlete does not take part in the World Championship on short water, which is currently taking place in Canada's Winsor (from 7.12 to 11.12.) Due to the fact that she decided to take a small time-out. On her page in the social network Julia thanked her fans for their support and stated that because of the relapse of purulent tonsillitis, which she suffers since April, she is forced to undergo surgery. Yefimova (swimming for whom - all) also expresses the hope that with the new coach and the new team she will be able to prepare well for the World Cup in Hungary.