Irina Alekseyevna Abysova,Ирина Алексеевна Абысова is a Russian open water swimmer and triathlete. In 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2010 she won the Russian Triathlon Championships and she took part in the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing and the 2012 Games in London. She is the winner of the 2013 ITU Aquathlon World Championship.
Sports career
Irina Abysova started her career as an outstanding athlete at the age of six when she was admitted to the aquatic section of the so-called Olympic Village in Moscow. At 13 years old she entered the elite sports school called Pioneer Palace and two years later she joined the prestigious МССУОР, a vocational school for Olympic athletes. In 1999 Irina Abysova, also decorated with the title “Master of Sports”, went on to the РГАФК, the Sports University of Moscow. In 2001 Abysova won the open water or long distance swimmingsilver medal in Fukuoka. In 2002, however, she felt that her career as a swimmer might be coming to an end and turned to triathlon, winning the Russian Triathlon Championship in the subsequent year. In 2003 Abysova joined the sports clubOzërki and concluded her university studies. In 2005, one year after having become a mother, she won the Russian Winter Triathlon Championships and was also active in the elite section of the German club TUS Griesheim. At the Olympics in Beijing in 2008 Abysova had a bad bicycle accident during the event and was seriously injured and unable to finish. In 2009 the French triathlon club TOC Cesson Sevigne mentioned her among its international elite stars but Abysova did not take part in the prestigious French Club Championship SeriesLyonnaise des Eaux. In 2011, Abysova opened the new season in Cyprus, where the Russian triathletes had their training camp. At the Volkswagen Aldiana Triathlon she placed first on the Olympic Distance. In 2012, she took part in the women's triathlon at the Olympic games, finishing in 13th place.
ITU competitions
In the eight years from 2003 to 2010, Irina Abysova took part in 51 ITU competitions and achieved 16 top ten positions. Unless indicated otherwise the following events are triathlons and belong to the Elite category.
