By Maria Dobysheva
Nikita Konovalov, representing Volgograd, won a fourth gold at Russian Short Course Nationals held in Kazan.
He won the 50 butterfly with 22.59, only 0.2 behind Evgeny Korotyshkin’s national record set in 2009. It was the third individual win for Konovalov at this meet. Alexander Popkov and Kirill Kiselev (both Saint-Petersburg, took silver (23.00) and bronze (23.29).
Konovalov grabbed another gold in the 4×50 free relay, posting the fastest lead off – 21.30, which ranks him second fastest in the world so far behind his countryman Evgeny Sedov, who clocked 21.00 in yesterday’s 50 free finals (Konovalov didn’t swim that event). Team Volgograd got gold (1:27.41), with Saint-Petersburg (1:28.29) and Sverdlovsk region (1:28.95) for silver and bronze.
Victoria Andreeva, representing Penza, won her second individual medley title, in 200m (2:08.34). Earlier this week she also won 100 IM with a national record.
“I was so excited after my new national record,” Andreeva says. “It felt like a wings behind me, I’m enjoying racing very much and I feel I can go even faster.”
Irina Shvaeva from Saint-Petersburg took silver (2:10.95) and Anastasia Osipenko representing Krasnoyarsk earned bronze, 2:12.22.
Sergey Fesikov claimed the top seed in the 100 freestyle semifinals with 47.54. Fesikov, representing Penza, owns bronze medal for 4×100 free relay from London Olympics but this year wasn’t too succesful for one of the national team leaders. He was injured, couldn’t fully recover for World Trials in April and failed to make the team. His last year’s best result was 46.67. Evgeny Lagunov and Alexander Klyukin are next qualifiers (47.63, 47.73).
Ivaneeva Natalia from Volgograd won 100 breaststroke final with 1:05.82. With Yulia Efimova’s absence (she scratched all meets until Olympic Trials in April, except the Duel in the Pool in December where she will represent team Europe) and Vitalina Simonova who was competing at World Cup series, Ivaneeva took the national title ahead of European Games medalist Maria Astashkina from Penza (1:06.12) and Darya Chikunova from Saint-Petersburg (1:06.63).
Andrey Shabasov from Saint-Petersburg celebrated victory in the 50 backstroke (23.65). He won the final with a national junior record and in one step (0.1) of national record by Stanislav Donets who also swam in finals and took bronze (23.89). Anton Butymov representing Republic of Komi, placed between them (23.87).
“Looking forward to European Championships this December, will be fighting for the highest place,” said Shabasov.
In 50 backstroke semifinals, Darya K Ustinova and Polina Egorova tied for top seed with 27.34 with Anastasia Fesikova behind by 0.01.
Rosalya Nasretdinova was a top qualifier in 50 freestyle, with 24.37, with Natalia Lovtsova (24.47) and Veronika Popova (24.69) behind her.