Alena Popchanka

{{short description|Belarusian swimmer}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Alena Popchanka

| image = Alena Popchanka.JPG

| imagesize = 125px

| caption = Popchanka in 2009

| fullname = Alena Popchanka

| nicknames =

| nationality = {{flagu|France}} (2005-on)
{{BLR}} (pre-2005)

| strokes =

| club =

| collegeteam =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|07|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Gomel, Belarus

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.76 m

| weight =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSport | Women's swimming}}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships (LC)}}

{{MedalCountry | {{BLR}} }}

{{MedalGold|2003 Barcelona|200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalCountry | {{flagu|France}} }}

{{MedalBronze|2007 Melbourne{{cite web|url=http://www.fina.org/events/WC/Melbourne_2007/results/swimming.php |title=12th FINA World Championships |access-date=2007-06-09 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070606111744/http://www.fina.org/events/WC/Melbourne_2007/results/swimming.php |archive-date = 2007-06-06}}|4 × 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalCompetition|European Championships (LC)}}

{{MedalCountry | {{BLR}} }}

{{MedalBronze| 2002 Berlin | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2002 Berlin | 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalCountry | {{flagu|France}} }}

{{MedalGold| 2008 Eindhoven | 4 × 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2006 Budapest | 100 m butterfly}}

{{MedalBronze| 2006 Budapest | 4 × 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2006 Budapest | 4 × 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2006 Budapest | 4 × 100 m medley}}

{{MedalCompetition|European Championships (SC)}}

{{MedalCountry | {{BLR}} }}

{{MedalGold| 2002 Riesa | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalGold| 2002 Riesa | 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver| 2002 Riesa | 4 × 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2003 Dublin | 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2003 Dublin | 100 m butterfly}}

{{MedalCountry | {{flagu|France}} }}

{{MedalGold| 2006 Helsinki | 200 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver| 2005 Trieste | 100 m butterfly}}

{{MedalSilver| 2006 Helsinki | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver| 2007 Debrecen | 100 m butterfly}}

{{MedalBronze| 2005 Trieste | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2007 Debrecen | 4 × 50 m medley}}

}}

Alena Popchanka (born 28 July 1979 in Gomel, Belarus){{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/po/yelena-popchenko-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223080126/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/search/athlete_search.cgi?search=yelena+popchenko+ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-02-23 |title=Yelena Popchenko |access-date=2009-07-21}} is a 4-time Olympic freestyle and butterfly swimmer originally from Belarus. She swam for Belarus at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. At the 2008 Olympics she swam for France; after her marriage to Frenchman Frédéric Vergnoux in early 2005.[http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/9523.asp Popchanka Can Begin Representing France in November] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825215000/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/9523.asp |date=2012-08-25 }}, published by Swimming World Magazine online on 2005-06-02; retrieved 2009-07-21

Popchanka won the 200 m freestyle at the 2003 World Championships and won the 200 m freestyle again at the 2006 Short Course European Championships.

She married Vergnoux, her coach, in early 2005, and became a French citizen a few months following the marriage (June). In November 2005, Popchanka was cleared to swim internationally for France, following a 1-year sit-out from competition which was not waived by the Belarusian federation following her departure and last swim for Belarus at the 2004 Olympics. Because of this timing, Popchanka was unable to swim at the 2005 World Championships to defend her 200 m freestyle title from 2003.

Since November 2005, she has competed for France. Leading up to the 2008 Olympics, the couple lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, where Vergnoux coached from 2004 to 2008. Following the 2008 Olympics, Vergnoux and Popchanka moved back to France, after Vergnoux left his coaching job in Edinburgh for one in Paris.[http://www.lagardere.com/press-room/press-releases/press-releases-363.html&idpress=3698 Swimming gets a boost at Lagardère Paris Racing], Lagardère Press Release, published 2008-06-13; retrieved 2009-07-21.

Vergnoux is notable in his own right: during his time in Edinburgh, he was twice named British Coach of the Year. He also served on the British Olympic Team staff for the 2008 Olympics.