Irina Lashko

Irina Evgenevna Laschko (Russian Ирина Евгеньевна Лашко, born January 25, 1973 in Samara ) is a former Russian water jumper, which took between 2001 and 2006 for Australia. She started in the art of jumping from 1 m and 3 m- board and 3m synchronized diving. Laschko won numerous medals at Olympic Games, World and European Championships and Commonwealth Games. In her four appearances at Olympic Games she represented four different countries.

Laschko came with ten years of an elite sports school, where she intensively studied for ten years the springboard. After they won between 1991 and 1993 five medals at major international events, she took due to the birth of her daughter Alina in 1994 a little break. 1998 married Laschko the Australians Carol Furler and moved to Melbourne, in 1999 she received an Australian citizen. Laschko wanted to start for Australia at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney for the first time, but Russia delayed the release so that it was only the spectator role. So the World Cup in 2001 was her first major appearance for their adopted country. In 2003 she became the first Australian world champion in the water jump. In 2006 came the break with the Australian Association after Laschko criticized lack of support. They moved their training base to Yekaterinburg and launched at the 2007 World Championships again for their home country Russia. After missed qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing Laschko ended her active career. She now lives with her family again in Australia.

Overall, she participated in four Olympic Games. In Seoul in 1988 she competed for the Soviet Union and was the springboard from 3 m board Fourth. 1992 in Barcelona, she won also the silver medal from the 3 m springboard for the United team as 1996 in Atlanta for Russia. 2004 in Athens, she was able to win bronze for Australia in 3 m synchronized diving with Chantelle Newbery.

At World Championships Laschko won three gold and two silver medals. 1991 in Perth she managed the 3 m board the silver medal in 1998 again in Perth it was double world champion. She won the 1m board and together with Julija Pacha Lina in 3 m synchronized diving. In 2001, she won silver in Fukuoka for Australia from the 3 m board and 2003 in Barcelona gold from 1 m board.

Successful Laschko was also at European swimming championships. 1989 in Bonn, she won gold at 1 m Board, 1991 in Athens followed by silver 1 m- board and gold from the 3 m board and again in 1993 in Sheffield silver from 1-m board. Two silver medals they achieved in 1997 in Seville and in Istanbul in 1999, 1997 of 1 m- board and 3-meter synchronized diving and 1999 of 1 m and 3 m board.

At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester she won by 1 m and 3 m board.

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