Popov: Swimming's Greatest Sprinter?

(From The Moscow Times)

There are few things more dramatic in sports than when an athlete makes a comeback from a serious injury or illness to reach the pinnacle of his discipline.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong, who won six straight Tour de France victories after recovering from testicular cancer, is a prime example.

So is Russian swimmer Alexander Popov.

Lying in a hospital bed in Moscow with a punctured lung after being stabbed by a watermelon vendor, Popov told a friend, "I will swim again."

That was 1996, less than a month after Popov took gold in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle events at the Atlanta Olympics. One year later he won …