Maria Dobysheva - (Author)

On the fifth day of Russian Nationals/World Championships trials, Vlad Morozov saved the best for last and set a National Record in the men's 50 freestyle semifinal. Morozov, who owned the previous record from 2013 (a 21.47), posted a sizzling 21.44 to refresh the national record and the 2017 world ...

20-year-old Evgeny Rylov sparkled at day four of the Russian Nationals in Moscow with his stunning European Record in the men's 200 backstroke, the event he won a bronze medal at the Olympics for last summer. Rylov went a 1:53.81, faster than his Olympic time (1:53.97) and his previous European reco...

Yulia Efimova won the women's 200 breaststroke finals at Russian Nationals and World Trials in Moscow with a rapid 2:21.35. This easily the fastest result in the world right now. It's also her fastest result in the last two years (her fastest 200 breast in 2016 was a 2:21.41 from Arena Pro Swim Seri...

Evgeny Rylov and Anton Chupkov booked a ticket to Worlds and topped the world rankings with impressive results on the second day of Russian Nationals Championships in Moscow. Evgeny Rylov cruised to victory in the men's 100 backstroke with a 53.13, the second fastest time in the world this year. Lou...

The first day of Russian Nationals revealed first members of the team who will represent the country at World Championships in Budapest this summer. Yulia Efimova easily qualified for Worlds, grabbing the gold medal in the women's 50 breast. After her impressive 29.95 she posted in semis, Efimova th...

Commentary by Maria Dobysheva, Swimming World Contributor The best Russian athletes have gathered in Moscow to participate in the National Championships and qualify for upcoming Worlds in Budapest this summer. Nationals Championships kick off on Monday, April 10th. Yulia Efimova, Vladimir Morozov, E...

Rozaliya Nasretdinova representing Moscow, grabbed top seed in the 50 free prelims of the Day 7 at Russian Olympic Trals. This result is just 0.12 shy of the Olympic A Cut. 19 years old Nasretdinova who won this event at Universiade last summer, owns Junior World Record with 24.88, the result she wi...

Vlad Morozov heads first into the tonight's 50 free semifinals on day 6 at Russian Nationals. Sizzling Siberian who won 100 free earlier yesterday and already qualified for the team, posted a solid 21.75 in prelims - the result to get in the world's top 6 this year. Morozov's best result from last y...

Alexander Sadovnikov seeded first in the 50 fly preliminaries of the day 4 at Russian Olympic Trails. His result 23.64 placed him sixth in the world rankings so far. Nikita Konovalov with 23.77 and Nikita Korolev with 23.90 got second and third for tonight's finals. 4. Vitaly Melnikov, 24.00 5. Kiri...

Vladimir Morozov had his first race at Russian Olymlic Trials this morning. In the men's 100 free prelims he posted 49.01 and grabbed top seed for tonight's semifinals. Morozov who set to swim just two individual events, was preparing for Nationals in U.S. It's hard to judge what shape the fastest R...

By Maria Dobysheva With WADA announcing a historic amnesty to those athletes who only had trace of meldonium in their system, Yuliya Efimova, who was temporarily suspended for meldonium positive test, filed a plea to FINA today to lift her suspension - just in time so that she can swim at Russian Na...

Last week, news broke that Yuliya Efimova tested positive for the banned substance meldonium and had been temporarily suspended by the Russian Swimming Federation. Today, Efimova went public for the first time claiming that she stopped taking the drug prior to the January addition of meldonium to th...

By Maria Dobysheva Katinka Hosszu celebrated five victories at annual Salnikov Cup in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She won 100 and 200 back, 200 IM, 200 fly and 400 free. In 200 backstroke prelims, Hosszu went sub- 2:00, set new meet record and got top seed with 1:59.23. In the finals, she easily won g...

By Maria Dobysheva Russia announced its roster for short course European Championships in Israel (December 2-6). For the first time ever Russia will perform at the international meet without its main stars - Vladimir Morozov and Yulia Efimova. All the Russian group training in U.S. (included Nikita ...

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 collec...

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 ...

By Maria Dobysheva Evgeny Sedov, representing Volgograd, updated his own 50 free world's fastest result of the year on the third day of Russian Short Course Nationals held in Kazan this week. Sedov set 21.22 in semifinals and cut 0.22 in the finals to win the national title. 21.00 by Sedov is far fr...

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 (57.2...

By Maria Dobysheva Yuliya Efimova , who won her fourth career individual gold medal at the Kazan World Championships this August, announced her brand-new deal with Speedo at a press conference in Moscow. Ten-time Worlds medalist Efimova becomes the second Russian swim team member (after Paralympian ...

By Maria Dobysheva Russian Swimming has announced its roster for the first-ever home World Championships held in Kazan July 24, - August 9. Swimming starts on August 2 and traditionally attracts the most attention. One of the highlights of the first night will be 4x100 relay where Russia is among to...