By Maria Dobysheva
Darya K Ustinova won her third individual gold in backstroke on the final night of Russian Short Course Nationals in Kazan, a qualifying meet for European Championships in 25m held this December in Israel.
Ustinova, who have already won 100 and 200, completed her gold medal collection with 50. Even though her result 27.20 is far from her top times (her own national junior record is 26.90), Ustinova beat her main rival – Olympic silver medalist Anastasia Fesikova, who finished third (27.30) and touched out Polina Egorova (27.20).
Ustinova qualified for three events for Euro championships. Ustinova previously said she doesn’t feel that short course is her priority even in the fall of a season and uses these meets as a testing starts in her Olympic training. Fesikova, who came back from maternity leave this year, couldn’t make the team and won’t go to Israel.
Ustinova became the female swimmer of the meet with five golds (team Sverdlovsk region Darya represents also won 4×100 medley and 4×200 free relays). Ustinova’s efforts in freestyle events shows that she grows into the mature versatile swimmer.
Later this night, she swam 200 free individually, the event she doesn’t swim quite usual and finished in 0.4 from the podium, placed fourth (1:55.96).
Veronika Popova (Saint-Petersburg) won the race and national title with 1:52.86 which placed her first in world rankings this year. Popova was just 0.2 from her own national record and personal best she posted at World Championships in Doha last year. Victoria Andreeva (Penza) got silver with 1:54.42 and Darya Mullakaeva from Perm got bronze (1:55.51).
Sergey Fesikov representing Penza celebrated victory in 100 free with 47.43. In absence of Vladimir Morozov, Nikita Lobintsev and Danila Izotov, Fesikov yet had Alexander Klyukin (silver, 47.51) and Evgeny Lagunov (bronze, 47.69) to challenge him. Fesikov’s winning time was quite enough to win and qualify for Europeans.
Later this night Fesikov claimed another gold in the 100 individual medley, 52.23. Fesikov was fifth at last World Championships in Doha with 51.35 but while his result from Nationals might not as fast yet it’s a good time for a swimmer recovering from injury (Fesikov missed World Championships in Kazan due to injury). Nikita Korolev representing Republic of Tatarstan was second (53.34) and Vyatcheslav Prudnikov from Saint-Petersburg was third, 53.66.
Svetlana Chimrova representing Moscow updated her own national record in the 100 butterfly and won the title with 56.87. Chimrova also owns 200 fly title. She won in a dominant manner, with more than a second lead over her rivals. Ekaterina Shapanikova from Saint-Petersburg got silver (58.16) and Alina Kashinskaya from Sverdlovsk region was third, 58.24.
Andrey Shabasov (Saint-Petersburg) won 200 backstroke with 1:52.29. Roman Larin who was second, set national junior record (1:53.06), Dmitry Gorbunov got bronze (1:53.34).
Natalia Lovtsova from Novosibirsk won 50 freestyle with 24.30 and qualified for Euro Championships. Rosalya Nasretdinova from Moscow came in second and got another ticket to Israel, 24.32. Darya Kartashova from Saint-Petersburg had bronze, 24.69.
Nikolay Skvortsov from Kaluga got a title in the 200 butterfly with 1:52.38. Daniil Pakhomov representing Saint-Petersburg, set new national junior record, 1:53.10 and Alexander Kudashev (Samara) was third with 1:53.89.
Other results
200 breaststroke Women
1. Maria Astashkina (2:20.18)
2. Sofia Andreeva (2:22.45)
3. Maria Temnikova (2:22.53)
50 breaststroke men
1. Oleg Kostin (26.36)
2. Andrey Nikolaev (26.53)
3. Kirill Prigoda (26.70)
1500 freestyle men
1. Yaroslav Potapov (15:01.32)
2. Sergey Strelnikov (15:03.89)
3. Ilya Druzhinin (15:05.06)
4×50 freestyle women
1. Saint-Petersburg (1:38.96)
2. Moscow (1:41.09)
3. Republic of Tatarstan (1:42.75)
4×100 medley women
1. Sverdlovsk region (3:57.75)
2. Saint-Petersburg (3:57.76)
3. Moscow (3:58.07)
4×100 medley men
1. Volgograd (3:26.76)
2. Saint-Petersburg (3:26.83)
3. Moscow (3:30.90)
Recaps:
Russian Short Course nationals: Day 1&2
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