Natalia Ishchenko

Natalia Sergeyevna Ishchenko (Наталья Серге́евна Ищенко; born 8 April 1986) is a retired Russian synchronized swimmer, five-times Olympic champion and nineteen-times world champion.

Ishchenko announced her retirement from sports in April 2017. Since November 2017, she has served as Minister of Sports of Kaliningrad Oblast.

Career
Natalia was a member of the Russian gold medal team in 2008, 2012 and 2016. She also won gold in the women's duet at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics with Svetlana Romashina.

Natalia took a break from the sport in 2013 after giving birth to her son. She returned in 2015, winning both the women's duet and team events at the European Synchro Cup in Haarlemmermeer, qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.