Nikolai Pankin


Nikolai Ivanovich Pankin was a Russian breaststroke swimmer and swimming coach. He competed at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke and 4 × 100 m medley relay. In 1968 he won a bronze medal in the 100 m and narrowly missed a bronze in the 200 m; he also swam the semifinal for the Soviet medley relay team that won a bronze medal. Pankin was less successful in 1972 and 1976, and finished close to the podium in the medley relay.
At the 1970 and 1974 European Championships, Pankin won a medal in each of the three events he competed. His last international medal was a bronze in the 200 m breaststroke at the 1975 World Championships. During his career, Pankin set four world records, two in the 100 m and two in the 200 m. Domestically, he won 13 titles, in the 100 m, 200 m and in the medley relay. He retired after the 1976 Olympics and then had a long career as a swimming coach in Moscow. His trainees included Dmitry Volkov.