| Merdan Ataýew | |
| Strokes: | Backstroke |
| Birth Date: | 8 May 1995 |
| Birth Place: | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan |
| Height: | 196cm |
| Weight: | 80kg |
Merdan Ataýew (born 8 May 1995) is a Turkmenistani swimmer. Ataýew competed for Turkmenistan at the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Olympics. International Master of Sports of Turkmenistan (2021).[1]
Merdan Ataýew was born on 8 May 1995 in Ashgabat.[2] He is a student of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports.[2] He lives and trains in Ashgabat; his coach as of 2021 was Segeý Ýepifanow.[3]
He competed in the men's 100 metre backstroke event at the 2016 Summer Olympics.[4] He placed 33rd in the heats with a time of 56.34 seconds and did not qualify for the semifinals.[5] He was the flagbearer for Turkmenistan during the opening ceremony.[6]
In 2021, Merdan Ataýew qualified to represent Turkmenistan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, where he went on to compete in the 100 metre backstroke,[1] and the 200 metre breaststroke events.[7]
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Merdan Ataýew was chosen the flag bearer for Turkmenistan again.[8]
| Representing | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Asian Games |  Incheon, South Korea | 9th (h) | 50 m backstroke | 26.31 | ||
| 7th | 100 m backstroke | 56.63 | |||||
| 2015 | World Championships |  Kazan, Russia | 45th (h) | 50 m backstroke | 26.64 | ||
| 49th (h) | 100 m butterfly | 57.57 | |||||
| 2016 | Olympic Games |  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 33rd (h) | 100 m backstroke | 56.34 | ||
| Asian Championships[9] |  Tokyo, Japan | 8th | 50 m backstroke | 26.00 | |||
| 8th | 100 m backstroke | 55.94 | |||||
| 2017 | Islamic Solidarity Games |  Baku, Azerbaijan | 2nd | 50 m backstroke | 25.82 | ||
| 2nd | 100 m backstroke | 55.44 | |||||
| 2018 | Asian Games | Jakarta, Indonesia | 8th | 50 m backstroke | 25.88 | ||
| 10th (h) | 100 m backstroke | 56.20 | |||||
| 2021 | Olympic Games | align=left | Tokyo, Japan | 34th (h) | 100 m backstroke | 55.24 | |