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SHANGHAI (AP) — She's known as the queen of synchronized swimming, and has been dubbed the Michael Phelps of her sport.
Natalia Ishchenko certainly knows how to win gold medals like the American swimmer, capturing her fifth at these world aquatic championships on Friday. Her win in the duet free helped Russia win its sixth gold in a row in the same pool that Phelps will grace next week with the rest of the higher-profile swimmers.
Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, can't even lay claim to Ishchenko's perfect mark here — the only gold she hasn't won was in an event in which she wasn't entered — Russia's first place in the team technical competition on Tuesday.
And Ishchenko, who started doing synchro-style moves in the pool when she was five, will have a chance for a sixth on Saturday on the final night of the program in Shanghai. She's listed to start for Russia in the team freestyle.
The 25-year-old Ishchenko now has 15 world championship golds to add to her team gold from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"The secret of our achievement is that we train for many hours, and our country's team is always the best," Ishchenko said in somewhat of an understatement after her win in the solo free event on Wednesday.
She also has golds here in the free combination team, duet technical and technical solo.
On Friday, it was more of the same for the Russians. Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina finished with 98.410 points in the duet free. Jiang Tingting and Jiang Wenwen of China were second with a score of 96.810 and Ona Carbonell and Andrea Fuentes of Spain took bronze with 96.500.
The Russians don't seem content to rest on their past dominance of the sport, always trying new things.
Romashina referred to some "fresh elements" in the routine that she and Ishchenko performed Friday — "so I hope everybody can enjoy it."
Russian coach Tatiana Danchenko said Ishchenko has a lot to do with the process.
"When we choreographed this routine, we wanted something different," Danchenko said. "This theme was Natalia's inspiration combined with other teammates' idea. Blending art with sport needs lots of time and practice."
Ishchenko would agree, admitting that all those golds come with hard work: just before major events like the world championships and the Olympics, she trains for up to 10 hours a day.
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Natalia Ishchenko certainly knows how to win gold medals like the American swimmer, capturing her fifth at these world aquatic championships on Friday. Her win in the duet free helped Russia win its sixth gold in a row in the same pool that Phelps will grace next week with the rest of the higher-profile swimmers.
Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, can't even lay claim to Ishchenko's perfect mark here — the only gold she hasn't won was in an event in which she wasn't entered — Russia's first place in the team technical competition on Tuesday.
And Ishchenko, who started doing synchro-style moves in the pool when she was five, will have a chance for a sixth on Saturday on the final night of the program in Shanghai. She's listed to start for Russia in the team freestyle.
The 25-year-old Ishchenko now has 15 world championship golds to add to her team gold from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"The secret of our achievement is that we train for many hours, and our country's team is always the best," Ishchenko said in somewhat of an understatement after her win in the solo free event on Wednesday.
She also has golds here in the free combination team, duet technical and technical solo.
On Friday, it was more of the same for the Russians. Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina finished with 98.410 points in the duet free. Jiang Tingting and Jiang Wenwen of China were second with a score of 96.810 and Ona Carbonell and Andrea Fuentes of Spain took bronze with 96.500.
The Russians don't seem content to rest on their past dominance of the sport, always trying new things.
Romashina referred to some "fresh elements" in the routine that she and Ishchenko performed Friday — "so I hope everybody can enjoy it."
Russian coach Tatiana Danchenko said Ishchenko has a lot to do with the process.
"When we choreographed this routine, we wanted something different," Danchenko said. "This theme was Natalia's inspiration combined with other teammates' idea. Blending art with sport needs lots of time and practice."
Ishchenko would agree, admitting that all those golds come with hard work: just before major events like the world championships and the Olympics, she trains for up to 10 hours a day.
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