"Патріот Донбасу"
He died on February 20 in Mariupol 62-annual famous athlete, Olympic champion, honorary citizen of Mariupol Alexander Sidorenko.
This was reported Mariupol City Council.
«This is a significant loss for all Mariupol residents. Alexander Sidorenko is one of those athletes who made our city famous all over the world. He made an invaluable contribution to the development of swimming in the city. Alexander Sydorenko, European record holder and Olympic winner, proved that Mariupol is a city of strong and confident people. The city of real winners. His name is forever inscribed in the history of Mariupol and Ukraine, “said Mayor Vadym Boychenko.
IN 16 years Alexander Sidorenko became a master of sports. Two years later, at the championship, he set a new world record in the two-hundred-meter distance in complex swimming – 2 minutes 05.24 seconds.
Then «gold» Mariupol swimmer brings European record in the two-hundred meters of integrated swimming. In 1979, Alexander Sidorenko was recognized as the best swimmer in the country.
IN In 1980, at the Olympic Games, the athlete became the champion, winning «gold» in integrated swimming. A year later he won the European Championships in the 200 m, and at the 1982 World Championships he was again the first in this discipline with a record – 2: 03.30.
From October 1987, Alexander Sidorenko worked as head of the water polo team of masters «Illichivets». He was granted the status of Honorary Citizen of Mariupol.