Raiko Pachel

Raiko Pachel
Personal information
National team Estonia
Born (1974-06-02) 2 June 1974 (age 50)
Tallinn, Estonia
Height1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight87 kg (192 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBreaststroke
ClubKeila Swim Club
CoachTõnu Meijel

Raiko Pachel (born 2 June 1974) is an Estonian former swimmer, who specialized in breaststroke events.[1] He is a single-time Olympian (2000), a double Baltic States swimming champion, and a former Estonian record holder in both 100 and 200 m breaststroke.[2] Pachel is also a member of Keila Swim Club in Tallinn under head coach Tõnu Meijel. His older brother is swimmer Marko Pachel.

Pachel competed in a breaststroke double at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He achieved FINA B-standards of 1:03.39 (100 m breaststroke) and 2:18.45 (200 m breaststroke) from the European Championships in Helsinki, Finland.[3][4][5] In the 100 m breaststroke, held on the first day of the Games, Pachel challenged seven other swimmers in heat six, including Australia's top favorite and former bronze medalist Phil Rogers. He rounded out a field to last place in his heat, but shared a thirty-second overall seed with Israel's Tal Stricker in a matching time of 1:03.99.[6][7] Four days later, in the 200 m breaststroke, Pachel placed thirty-third on the morning prelims. Swimming in heat three, he picked up a third spot to overhaul a 2:20 barrier ahead of El Salvador's Francisco Suriano by almost half a second (0.50) in 2:19.71.[8][9]

  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Raiko Pachel". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  2. ^ "Raiko Pachel ujus isikliku rekordi" [Raiko Pachel swam his personal best] (in Estonian). Eesti Päevaleht. 3 April 1999. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  3. ^ "Swimming – Men's 100m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 6)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. Omega Timing. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Swimming – Men's 200m Breaststroke Startlist (Heat 3)" (PDF). Sydney 2000. Omega Timing. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  5. ^ Põldoja, Ants (7 July 2000). "Raiko Pachel jõudis poolfinaali" [Raiko Pachel reached the semifinals] (in Estonian). Õhtuleht. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 100m Breaststroke Heat 6" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 242. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  7. ^ Newberry, Paul (16 September 2000). "Thompson anchors U.S. relay win; Thorpe wins 400 free". Canoe.ca. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 200m Breaststroke Heat 3" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 250. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  9. ^ "Wide-open race in the men's 100 free". Canoe.ca. 18 September 2000. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)