Aliaksandra Herasimenia (Aleksandra Gerasimenya) was born on December 31, 1985 in Minsk, Russia and represents Belarus.
International Competition
2002 European Championships (LCM & SCM)
At the 2002 Long Course Euro Champs in Berlin, her first European championships, Aliaksandra won double bronze in the 50 free and 50 back. She followed up her performances in Berlin by going to Rijeka for Short Course Euro champs and winning another 2 medals, this time double silver in the 50 free and the 4×50 free relay.
2003 Doping Ban
In 2003, at the age of 17, Herasimenia was banned for two years for a positive test for norandosterone.
2005/06 European Championships (SCM & LCM)
In 2005, Herasimenia was back in the pool at the 2005 European short course championships in Trieste and back to her place on the podium, winning a bronze medal in the 50 backstroke. The following summer at the 2006 long course Euro champs in Budapest, she garnered a silver medal in the 50 freestyle.
2007 World Championships
In 2007, at the age of 21, Aliaksandra attended her first world championships as well as won her first world championship medal. Competing in the 50 and 100 freestyle as well as the 50 backstroke, Herasimenia placed 14th in the 100 free, 9th in the 50 free, and won a silver medal in the 50 back, finishing 2nd behind American Leila Vaziri who broke the world record.
2008 Olympic Games
In 2008, at the age of 22, Herasimenia competed in her first Olympic Games, where she placed 8th in the 50 free (24.77) and 14th in the 100 free (55.31).
2010 European Championships
The 2010 long course Euro champs were once again in Budapest, and Aliaksandra once again found her way onto the medals podium. She bettered her finish in the 50 back from 2006, winning gold in the event. She added a silver in the 100 freestyle to her haul, her first medal in the longer event at a European championships.
2011 World Championships
After missing the podium at the 2009 world championships in her events, Herasimenia was back on the podium in Shanghai, and this time on the top of the world. In the 100 freestyle, she tied Danish swimmer Jeanette Ottesen for gold with a time of 53.45 to continue her streak of medaling in the 100 free at major international meets.
2012 Olympic Games
In London, Herasimenia bettered her finishes from Beijing in both the 50 and 100 freestyle, making her way to the podium to win double silver behind Ranomi Kromowidjojo in both events.
2015 World Championships
After not competing at the 2013 worlds, Herasimenia swam the 50/100 freestyles in Kazan, placing 18th in the 50 and 15th in the 100.
2016 Rio Olympics
At the 2016 Olympic Games, Herasimenia won bronze in the 50 Free, just four one hundredths of a second behind gold medal winner, Pernille Blume of Denmark, and two hundredths behind silver medalist, Simone Manuel of the US.
2017 FINA World Championships
In Budapest, Herasimenia tied the European Record in the 50 backstroke with a 27.23 to take bronze. This was her 2nd time winning a worlds medal in the 50 backstroke, the medals coming 10 years apart.
2018 Maternity Break
In early 2018, Hermasimenia announced on her swim clubs website that she was pregnant and would take a break from competitive swimming, skipping the 2018 European championships in Glasgow. SHe did emphasize that she wanted to return to swimming, with the goal of winning medals in the 2020 Olympics.
