December 12, 2006: Taganroger Arkady Vyatchanin achieved the best performance of the opening day at the 2006 European Short Course Swimming Championships for UNICEF in Helsinki by setting a new European record in 1.49,98 minutes in the 200m backstroke. He became first European in history who covered 200m backstroke for less then 1 min. 50 sec.
Second time Arkady won the gold medal on the 100m distance with result 51.11 sec.
In August at the European Championship in Budapest he already won three gold medals in 100 and 200m and in the combined relay race as a member of the Russian team.
In the current season, Arkady Vyatshanin has won five highest European awards.
