Ilya Shymanovich went 56.04 to head a trio of big hitters in the 100 breaststroke on the second morning of heats at the European Short-Course Championships in Kazan, Russia.
The world record-holder dominated the final heat after Nicolo Martinenghi and defending champion Arno Kamminga had posted the fastest times in their respective races.
Gregorio Paltrinieri leads the way into the defence of his 1500 free title ahead of Florian Wellbrock while Lorenzo Zazzeri was the only man inside 21secs in the men’s 50 free heats in 20.92 and
Trio Set For Thrilling Breaststroke Tussle
Nicolo Martinenghi: Photo Courtesy: Italian Swimming Federation
Shymanovich led his race from the outset and accelerated away on the third 25 to touch more than a body length ahead.
The Belarus swimmer is the world-record holder over four lengths with a time of 55.34 from December 2020 and heads the 2021 rankings with 55.63 from the ISL in September.
Double Olympic silver medallist Kamminga had set the tone in the second heat in 56.42 followed by a puff of the cheeks and a nod for a job well done.
The defending champion went 55.82 at the World Cup in this same pool in Kazan last week.
Martinenghi then recorded 56.39 – within 0.24 of Fabio Scozzoli‘s Italian mark of 56.15 from the 2017 edition in Copenhagen – before Shymanovich dominated to head the field into the semis.
Danil Semyaninov (56.72), Scozzoli (56.93) and Oleg Kostin (56.95) were the other swimmers to go inside 57 secs.
Emre Sakci – European record holder over 50m – and Erik Persson also booked their slots.
Zazzeri Sizzles In 50 Free
It started getting spicy in heat four when Thom De Boer went 21.02 to lead home fellow Netherlands swimmers Jesse Puts (21.12) and Stan Pijnenburg (21,32).
That followed De Boer’s scorching final leg on Tuesday when he anchored the Dutch 4×50 free quartet to gold.
Zazzeri had blasted the quickest split in the relay as Italy came second and he went 20.92 in the fifth heat, the only man to go inside 21secs on Wednesday morning.
Kenzo Simons underlined the depth of Dutch men’s sprinting when he headed the last heat in 21.22 ahead of defending champion Vlad Morozov (21.23) but with two teammates clocking faster times, he didn’t progress under the two-per-nation rule.
Zazzeri leads the way into the semis ahead of De Boer and Szebasztian Szabo – both on 21.02 – and Puts.
Morozov and Kliment Kolesnikov are also through with Marco Orsi joining Zazzeri meaning there is no place for fellow Italian Alesssandro Miressi.
Technical Toussaint Leads The Way
Kira Toussaint: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia
The women’s 200 backstroke was the first event of the session with 23 swimmers vying for 16 semi-final places.
Superb underwaters at 150 propelled Glasgow bronze medallist Kira Toussaint into the lead in the second heat which she took in 2:06.17.
Defending champion Margherita Panziera went in the third heat and led for much of the race without overly exerting herself to touch in 2:06.64.
Toussaint was swiftest ahead of Ingeborg Loeyning (2:06.22), Lena Grabowski (2:06.51) and Panziera.
Paltrinieri In Pole Position
Wellbrock, the Olympic open water champion, went in the first heat, his long, balanced stroke as bewitching as ever.
He led throughout from the first of the 60 lengths to touch in 14:29.59 with world record-holder Paltrinieri going 14:27.35 in the second heat.
The pair will line up on Thursday evening for the final with Domenico Acerenza, Damien Joly, Aleksandr Egorov, Sven Schwarz, 2019 silver medallist Henrik Christiansen and Kirill Martynychev.
Chimrova Takes Flight; Sjostrom Heads 100IM
Svetlana Chimrova; Photo Courtesy: SIPA USA
Reigning champion Katinka Hosszu isn’t competing in Kazan and Svetlana Chimrova looks ready to take her place at the top of the podium.
The Russian record-holder led the way into the semis in 2:05.63 ahead of Helena Rosendahl Bach (2:06.49) and Claudia Hufnagl (2:09.53).
Zsuzsanna Jakabos – the 2019 bronze medallist – qualified fourth in 2:09.63.
Hosszu also won the 100IM last time out but Sarah Sjostrom took pole position into the semis in 58.65 ahead of Irina Shvaeva (58.99) and Marrit Steenbergen (59.08).
Maria Kameneva – who won silver in Glasgow – also progressed.
Russia Heads Men’s 4×50 Medley Relay
The race promises to be a real tussle with Russia leading the way in 1:32.69 ahead of Italy (1:32.98) and Turkey whose time of 1:33.06 featured a breaststroke split of 25.45 from Sakci.
The Netherlands have already claimed gold and silver in the relays and they were just 0.01 behind Turkey in 1:33.07.