Andrei Minakov Takes Down Chalmers’ World Junior Record in 100 Free
Andrei Minakov sent an ominous warning and rattled the national record with victory in the 100m freestyle in 47.57 at the Russian Championships in Kazan. The 18-year-old had ensured the final session of the competition – which also serves as a qualifier for the Olympics in Tokyo next July – started with a performance that will reverberate across poolsides around the world.
Not only was it Minakov who lit up the Aquatics Palace. Evgenia Chikunova won the 200m breaststroke in 2:21.87 and Alexander Kudashev stopped the clock at 1:55.60 in the 200 fly.
Andrei Minakov – Photo Courtesy: FINA / Budapest 2019
Minakov had already been a regular visitor to the podium at the Aquatics Palace in Kazan this week, including a trip to the top step in the 100 fly.
Vladislav Grinev had posted the swiftest time in the semis but the 18-year-old left the field in his slipstream: out in 22.84 and back in 24.73. His 47.57 took .01 off Kyle Chalmers’ world junior record, the Aussie’s time from his Olympic-title swim in 2016.
Behind Minakov came Grinev in 48.38 and Alexander Shchegolev (48.81).
Grinev’s Russian record of 47.43 – set at the Russian Championships in Moscow in April 2019 – still stands but Minakov is young and of an age where they take chunks off PBs.
It was a time that would have been good enough for silver in Gwangju where the 17-year-old was second in the 100 fly, swam the prelim as Russia took silver in the men’s 4×100 free and the fly leg on their bronze-medal winning men’s medley relay.
He returned to go 51.79 on the fly leg as St Petersburg came second in the men’s medley relay behind Moscow who were anchored by Grinev in 47.83.
Evgenia Chikunova Does The Treble
Chikunova started the final session with golds in the 50 and 100 breaststroke but it was elder sister Daria that led by 0.76 at halfway.
The younger Chikunova more than made up on the time on the third 50 to turn with a lead of 0.05 and a final blast of 36.59 saw her stop the clock first.
Evgenia Chikunova – Photo Courtesy: FINA / Budapest 2019
Splits: 32.78/1:09.21/1:45.28/2:21.87
Maria Temnikova also turned it on in the final 50 in 36.67 to overhaul the one-time leader and finish in 2:23.19 to claim her third silver of the week.
Daria finished third in 2:24.81.
In the 200 fly, Kudashev went ahead on the third 50 and turned 0.31 ahead of Vadim Klimenischev at 150 with a final blast of 30.40 propelling him home.
His time was 1.29secs outside the Russian record of 1:54.31.set by Nikolay Skvortsov at the 2008 Olympics and would have been good enough for sixth at the 2019 worlds.
Splits: 25.91/55.19/1:25.28/1:55.68.
Klimenischev – born in 2003 – was second in 1:56.50 as he and Kudashev repeated their finishing places at the Russian Swimming Cup at the start of October.
Tarasevich Takes Third Backstroke Title
Grigoriy Tarasevich completed the backstroke treble with victory over 200m where the top three were separated by 0.13.
He had a lead of 0.39 at the final turn over Maxim Fofanov and held off his fast-finishing rival to win in 1:58.33.
Fofanov was second in 1:58.38 while Egor Dolomanov produced a final-50 blast of 29.87 to claim third in 1:58.46.
Daria Vaskina won the 100 fly in 58.63 ahead of Daria Klepikova (58.75).
It was a mainly young field – the oldest being born in 1998 – but notable was the appearance of Vlada Eggy – born in 2007 – and eighth in 1:01.43.
Anastasia Guzhenkova came from 0.38 down at 150 to take the 200 free in 1:57.75 ahead of Valeria Salamatina (1:57.98) with Elizaveta Klevanovich winning the women’s 50 free in 25.15.
Alexander Egorov came from second with 100 to go to take the 1500 free in 15:06.66 and Kirill Strelnikov won the 50br in 27.14.
The championships came to a close with the women’s 4×100 medley relay where the St Petersburg quartet of Aleksandra Kurilkina, Eggy, Chikunova and Aleksandra Bykova won in 4:06.67.
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