Yulia Pakhalina

FOR THE RECORD:OLYMPIC GAMES: 2000: gold (3m springboard synchro), 2004: silver (3m springboard synchro), bronze (3m springboard); 2008: silver (3m springboard, 3m springboard synchro); FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2009: gold (1m springboard), bronze (3m springboard synchro); 2003: silver (3m springboard, 3m springboard synchro); 2001: silver (3m springboard synchro), bronze: 3m springboard); 1998: gold (3m springboard, 3m springboard synchro); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1997: gold (3m springboard); 2000: gold (3m springboard, 3m springboard synchro); 2002: gold (3m springboard); 2004: gold (3m springboard, 3m springboard synchro); 2008: gold (3m springboard, 3m springboard synchro); 1995: silver (3mspringboard); 1997: silver (3m springboard synchro); 2002: silver (3m springboard synchro);

Her path to Olympic success began in Penza, a city southeast of Moscow. At first, she was afraid of the water, but the pool soon became her second home. As the daughter of a gymnast, they soon realized that she had the physique for diving, as well as the drive and determination.

Yulia Pakhalina became a member of the Russian Junior National Team very early, winning her first Junior World Championship in London at age 12.  She eventually joined the Russian National Team in 1998. Yulia excelled a springboard diver and competed in competitions from the Olympic Games to the European and World Championships winning medals in every color along t he way, but mostly gold. At her first World Championships in 1998, she came away with two world titles in the 3-meter springboard and the 3-meter synchronized event with partner, Irina Lashko.

After the 1998 Worlds, Yulia teamed up with new partner, Vera Ilyina, who was training under Coach Jane Figueredo, in Houston, in the United States. Yulia, who was coached by her father, Vladimir, would travel from Russia to Houston to train with Ilyina for months at a time. Leading up to the 2000 Olympic Games, she and her father lived and trained in Houston.

It paid off, at the Sydney Games, Yulia and Vera won gold in the 3-meter synchro event. And upon returning as the newly crowned champions, Yulia’s family granted her permission to move to Houston and enroll at the University, diving full time for Jane. Her father was still her main coach when she was in Russia and at international competitions and when she travelled home during Summers.

In her next Olympic appearance, in 2004, she and partner, Ilyina won the silver medal in Athens in the 3-meter synchronized event, and individually, Yuliya won the bronze on the 3-meter. In Yulia’s third and final Olympic performance, in Beijing in 2008, she won the silver in the 3m springboard, and in the synchronized event, Yulia and Ilyina won the bronze on the 3-meter.

Pakhalina was a three-time World Champion. In addition, to her three golds, she won five silver medals and four bronze medals in world championship competition. She is a seven-time European Champion, four-times as a soloist, on the 3-meter springboard and a three-times with her partner in the 3-meter synchronized event.

She competed for the University of Houston 2001-2004 and in NCAA competition, she is undefeated on the 1 and 3-meter springboard in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Yulia was chosen multiple times as Russia’s Best Female Diver, was awarded LEN’s Best Female Athletes Award, multiple times; was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Conference USA and was Inducted into the Hall of Honor at the University of Houston.