Kolesnikov Goes Fourth Russian All-Time With 47.60 In 100 Free; 1500 Spot For Kirpichnikova

Kliment Kolesnikov: Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

Kliment Kolesnikov became the fourth-fastest Russian over 100 free when he went 47.60 in the semis of the Russian Championships which double as the Olympic trials in Kazan.

Anastasia Kirpichnikova went 15:58.98 to book a spot in the 1500 free with victory by almost 40secs and Alexander Kudashev booked a ticket to Tokyo in the 200 fly.

Link to results

Kolesnikov has been on fire this week, showcasing the sprinting prowess over backstroke and freestyle that has brought him individual world and European medals in the former and trips to the podium as a member of Russian relay teams in the latter.

He matched then lowered Evgeny Rylov‘s official 100 back national record before the 2019 world silver medallist reclaimed it in 52.12 – 0.01 off Camille Lacourt’s European mark – with Kolesnikov clocking 52.24.

That followed the 50 back where the 20-year-old was just 0.08 off his own world record of 24.00secs.

Kliment Kolesnikov: Photo Courtesy: MIKE LEWIS / ISL

Back on Tuesday morning for the 100 free, Kolesnikov went 47.70 (22.97/24.73) in the prelims before shaving 0.10secs from his first 50 and matching his second to split 22.87/24.73 for 47.60 – a time that would have secured bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju.

Vladislav Grinev – who holds the Russian record of 47.43 – booked lane five in tomorrow’s final in 47.85 ahead of Vlad Morozov (48.00) and Andrei Minakov (48.02), the world junior record holder.

The first six men home were all inside the cut of 48.57.

Kolesnikov entered the meet with a PB of 48.04 from the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires which came weeks after he won six medals, including three golds, at the European Championships in Moscow.

Among those golds was the 4×100 free where Kolesnikov anchored the Russian quartet home in 47.39.

Now he stands behind only Grinev (47.43), Minakov (47.57) and Andrei Grechin who went 47.59 during the super-suited times of 2009.

Kirpichnikova Dominates 1500 Free; Kudashev Takes Flight

Anastasia Kirpichnikova; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Kirpichnikova dominated the 1500 free to lap her nearest challenger and win by almost 40 seconds in 15:58.98, well inside the cut for Tokyo where the event will make its debut on the women’s programme.

The 20-year-old – who represented Russia at the 2019 worlds – has already booked her spot in the 400 free and her performance in the longest race cut almost 10secs off her heat time of 16:08.18.

On the start lists they give the Russian record as Kirpichnikova’s heat time which she subsequently lowered.

However, she swam 15:53.18 at the French Elite Championships in December.

Alexandra Khailova was second in 16:38.77.

A second 100 of 60.52 propelled Alexander Kudashev to victory and a Tokyo ticket in the 200 fly.

Aleksandr Pribytok – who had registered the fastest time in the semis – was second home in 1:56.92 but he was outside the cut.

Veronika Andrusenko came from fifth at the final turn to win the women’s 200 free although her time of 1:57.97 was outside the 1:57.28 required for Tokyo, despite a final 50 of 29.37.

Anastasia Guzenkova was next home in 1:58.54 with Anna Egorova – who set a Russian record en-route to 400fr gold – third in 1:58.77.

Anastasia Sorokina – who had toppled the Russian 400IM junior record that had stood since 1984 on the first finals session – won the 200IM in 2:13.12.

It was though outside the standard for Tokyo.

In the last final of the session, a Moscow quartet won the men’s 4x200fr in 7:12.21.

Balandin And Chupkov Through In 200Br

Anton Chupkov: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Reigning Olympic champion Dmitriy Balandin of Kazakhstan led the way in the 200br semis in 2:08.42 ahead of world record-holder Anton Chupkov (2:08.54) and 100br winner Kirill Prigoda (2:08.84).

Russian record holder Svetlana Chimrova set the fastest time in the semis of the women’s 200 fly in 2:09.25.

Alexandra Sabitova was second through in 2:09.67, breaking the Russian junior record of 2:10.60 set by Maria Bulakhova in 2004 with the then 15-year-old competing at the Athens Olympics that same year.

It was the second junior record of the meet for Sabitova who lowered the 100 fly mark to 57.96.

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