Margarita Kalmikova

Margarita "Rita" Kalmikova (born September 7, 1980) is a Latvian former swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events.[1] She is a two-time Olympian (1996 and 2000), and a former Latvian record holder in the 200 m breaststroke (2:35.37). While studying in the United States, she achieved a school record in the 200-yard breaststroke, and was named five-time All-American as a captain and rookie of Lewis University's swimming and diving team. Since her sporting career ended in 2005, Kalmikova has extensively traveled across the United States to work as an assistant coach.

Margarita Kalmikova
Personal information
Full nameMargarita Kalmikova
Nickname(s)Rita
National team Latvia
Born (1980-09-07) 7 September 1980
Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight62 kg (137 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke
College teamLewis University (U.S.)
CoachJeļena Solovjova
Steve Thompson (U.S.)

Career

Early years

Kalmikova, a native of Riga, Latvia, started swimming competitively at the age of eleven. Both of her parents were swimming coaches that motivated and inspired her to undergo training to an elite level and to become part of the Latvian squad. Her elder brother Valērijs Kalmikovs, also an elite breaststroke swimmer, shared a sibling tandem in the sport, when they both competed together in two editions of the Olympic Games (1996 and 2000).[2]

International career

Kalmikova made her official debut, along with her brother Valērijs Kalmikovs, at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where she competed in the 200 m breaststroke. Swimming in heat two, she overhauled a 2:40-barrier and raced to the third seed in a Latvian record of 2:39.63.[3] Because of her remarkable legacy, she was named Best Female Swimmer of the year by the Latvian Olympic Committee.[4]

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Kalmikova competed again in the 200 m breaststroke. She achieved a FINA B-cut of 2:35.37 from the Russian National Championships in Moscow.[5] She challenged seven other swimmers in heat two, including teenagers Nicolette Teo of Singapore (aged 14) and Siow Yi Ting (aged 16). Kalmikova faded down the stretch on the final stretch from third at the halfway turn to a fourth seed in a 2:35.69, 32-hundredths of a second below her entry standard and 2.35 behind leader İlkay Dikmen of Turkey. Kalmikova failed to advance into the semifinals, as she placed twenty-eighth overall in the prelims.[6][7][8]

College career

Shortly after her second Olympics, Kalmikova accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, where she played for the Lewis Flyers swimming and diving team under head coach Steve Thompson from 2001 to 2005.[9] While swimming for the Flyers, she was named the Most Valuable Swimmer twice in 2002 and 2003, served as the school's team captain, and received five All-American titles.[4] During her sophomore season, Kalmikova established school records in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.80) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:17.85) at the 2003 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota.[2][10] In the spring of 2005, Kalmikova graduated from the University with a Bachelor of Arts degree major in human communication and business management, ending her illustrious sporting career.[2]

Life after swimming

Since her swimming career ended in 2005, Kalmikova has traveled extensively across the United States to pursue a coaching opportunity. She formerly served as an assistant swimming coach at the Western Kentucky University in 2007, and later attended the Bowling Green State University to complete her two-year master of science degree in sports administration.[2] Applying for the same job to her resume, she helped the school's teams enjoy their conference and national success in college swimming. She also trained Claire Donahue, silver medalist in the 100 m butterfly at the 2011 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, who later became a sixth-place finalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[11]

From 2013-2015, Kalmikova was the head coach of the men's and women's swimming teams at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio.[12]

She was last known to be working as a swim coach at The Claremont Club in Claremont California as of 2015.

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Margarita Kalmikova". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  2. Cravens, Jordan (25 August 2012). "Swimming skills lead from Latvia, to Olympics, to BG". Daily Sentinel-Tribune. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  3. "Atlanta 1996: Aquatics (Swimming) – Women's 200m Breaststroke Heat 2" (PDF). Atlanta 1996. LA84 Foundation. p. 45. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  4. Baker, Andy (2 November 2012). "Former Olympian to helm Tiffin University swimming". The Advertiser-Tribune. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  5. "Swimming – Women's 200m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 2)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. Omega Timing. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  6. "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Women's 200m Breaststroke Heat 2" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 263. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  7. "Results from the Summer Olympics – Swimming (Women's 200m Breaststroke)". Canoe.ca. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  8. Straumanis, Andris (27 August 2000). "Gold, silver and bronze for Latvian athletes". Latvians Online. Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  9. "2009–2010 Lewis University Swimming and Diving Guide" (PDF). Lewis University. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  10. "NCAA Div. II Championships: Truman Women Threepeat; Drury Men Overtake Roadrunners". Swimming World Magazine. 16 March 2003. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  11. "Donahue finishes second in 100 fly at NCAAs". College Heights Herald. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  12. "Tiffin University Hires Kalmikova". College Swimming. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2013.


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