By Maria Dobysheva
At Russian short course Nationals in Kazan, Anton Chupkov, multiple gold medalist at last World Junior Championships in Singapore, set a World Junior record in the 100 breaststroke with 57.61. Chupkov, representing Moscow, finished second behind Nizhny Novgorod’s Oleg Kostin (57.22) who posted the worlds fastest result so far. Vyatcheslav Sinkevich was third with 57.65. Kostin who got national title, just returned from Dubai where he performed at the final World Cups stop.
“After travelling for World Cups, I was a bit tired and had to skip my best event, 200 breast to concentrate on a hundred,” said Kostin. Kostin and Chupkov both qualified for European short course championships held in Israel this December.
Elizaveta Permyakova from Irkutsk set new World Junior record in 50 fly semifinal with 26.31. Permyakova qualified fourth into the final, with Darya Tsevetkova (26.11) and Rosalya Nasretdinova (26.16) for two top seeds.
Nikita Konovalov from Volgograd doubled up with two national titles, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. In the 100 back (50.47) he beat multiple national and world champion 32 year old Stanislav Donets from Ulyanovsk (50.83).
“I didn’t expect to go this fast,” – said Konovalov. “I was going to swim unshaved but changed my plans when I heard of the limit (only two athletes instead of four qualify for European championships this year).”
Andrey Shabasov from Saint Petersburg finished third with 50.91.
In the 100 butterfly, Konovalov got national title (50.02) ahead of his teammate from Volgograd Alexander Sadovnikov (50.51) and Nikolay Skvortsov from Kaluga (51.20).
Darya K Ustinova won 100 backstroke with 57.77. Even though it’s currently No. 3 in the world rankings, Ustinova wasn’t too excited.
“I think it’s a decent result because I didn’t focus on Nationals much and didn’t taper. I’m going to swim at European Champs but it’s short course while my main focus is next year’s Olympics”.
Iryna Prikhodko beat Olympic medalist Anastasia Zueva (58.47) for the second ticket to Israel and got silver (58.03)
Alexander Krasnykh representing Tatarstan celebrated victory in the 200 freestyle with 1:42.30, currently rank five in the world. Vyatcheslav Andrusenko from Saint Petersburg finished second with 1:43.37 and Mikhail Polischuk was third, 1:43.60.
Krasnykh, who also holds long course national title, and Andrusenko both qualified for European short course championships.
Evgeny Sedov from Volgograd grabbed top seed in the 50 freestyle semifinals and posted a solid 21.22, current World’s no 1. Sedov who got injured before Worlds trials and missed home Worlds, started to perform in August at the first World Cup stop in Moscow where he medaled in a couple of events but short course nationals is definitely his first main comeback meet. In 2014, Sedov was the fastest Russian in 50 free with a swift 20.59 which he posted at World Championships in Doha (his teammate Morozov was fifth with 20.88).
Andrey Arbuzov from Krasnoyarsk gets the fifth lane for the finals (21.61). Well known sprinters Sergey Fesikov, Evgeny Lagunov and Oleg Tikhobaev are also among finalists.
Natalia Lovtsova from Novosibirsk got top seed in the women’s 100 freestyle with 52.67. Lovtsova also holds long course national title. National record holder Veronika Popova representing Saint Petersburg is the second finalist with 53.10.
Oleg Tikhobaev led his team Saint Petersburg to national title in the 4×100 freestyle relay (3:10.31), leading off 47.82, a result within worlds top five. Team Volgograd finished second (3:12.09), with Nikita Konovalov anchored 46.86, the fastest anchor leg in the whole final. Team Moscow got bronze (3:12.51)
Other results (finals):
Women
200 fly
1. Svetlana Chimrova (2:08.24)
2. Anastasia Guzhenkova (2:10.12)
3. Maria Arsenyeva (2:10.75)
400 IM
1. Kristina Vershinina (4:41.68)
2. Victoria Malyutina (4:41.88)
3. Diana Sheludchenko (4:44.58)
50 breast
1. Natalia Ivaneeva (30.16)
2. Vera Kalashnikova (30.90)
3. Maria Astashkina (31.32)
800 free
1. Anastasia Kirpichnikova (8:20.17)
2. Anastasia Osipenko (8:25.81)
3. Arina Opyonysheva (8:28.57)
4×200 free
1. Sverdlovsk oblast (7:49.92)
2. Saint-Petersburg (7:51.33)
3. Perm (8:04.05)
Men
400 IM
1. Dmitry Gorbunov (4:06.65)
2. Nikolay Sokolov (4:09.78)
3. Sergey Strelnikov (4:10.06)
4×200 free
1. Moscow (7:00.70)
2. Saint Petersburg (7:03.13)
3. Tatarstan Republic (7:11.68)