Commentary by Maria Dobysheva
The closer Russia gets to the start of hosting its first Aquatic World Championships, the more attention next week’s Russian Worlds Trials attracts and the more questions it raises. It’s been a troublesome year for Russian elite swimming since one of its leaders, Yulia Efimova, was suspended for 16 months for using a forbidden substance. Following this, more swimmers – from young hope Vitaly Melnikov to open water World Champion Vladimir Dyatchin – failed drug tests and were given lengthy bans.
These cases displayed that, on one side, the Russian Swimming Federation is serious about overcoming the doping problem and that the Russian Doping Agency does its job well. On the other side, it raised criticism and provoked a threat of banning the whole national team and removing the World Championships from Kazan.
There have been a lot of reports on scandals and blamestorming in the Russian team, but how have the athletes been doing? How do those whose accomplishments have been really impressive and undoubtful cope with the situation? How has it affected them and what do they expect from the future? It’s been kind of an “off” year for big stars of the Russian team. While veterans were busy with out-of-the-water activities, young guns stepped up to claim their leadership on the team. Russia has always produced great sprint talents and 2014 was no exception. Last fall, with the short course season at its peak, some new names claimed serious intentions to fight for the highest rankings prior to the short course World Championships held in Doha in December.
Evgeny Sedov, 18, posted the second-fastest time in the world in the 50 free with a 20.59. Along with that, four Russian sprinters made it to the world’s top 15 – more than any other nation – with three athletes under 21.0 (Vlad Morozov 20.88, Oleg Tikhobaev 20.97). In Doha, Morozov posted the world’s best time in the 100 free (45.51) and Danil Izotov was fourth (46.09). Despite the depth, Russia got silver in the 4×100 free, beaten by a strong team from France. It was considered a big loss.
Despite overcoming the Russian team in the relay, one of the Frenchmen questioned the results of the Russian sprinters. Fueled by negative press the team experienced as a result of Efimova’s doping scandal, the Frenchman hinted that the Russian swimmers were doped. None of the Russians in question had failed a drug test in their careers.
“Others told me (about the French comment),” Morozov said. “I didn’t read it myself as he quickly deleted that Tweet. I don’t actually care. If he deleted it, I assume that he realized he was wrong, that’s all.” Russia responded at short course worlds with a win and world record in the men’s 4×50 freestyle relay.
Photo Courtesy: FINA Doha 2014
“Nothing unites us better than when someone unfairly attacks our country,” said Evgeny Korotyshkin, who swam in the heats of the 4×50 free relay for Russia and won his first international freestyle gold medal.
The Russians hope to prove their titles and rankings on the long course scene with fast swims at nationals. While the Russian freestyle relay team is always a threat and contender for medals at any major meet, they have yet to improve individually. Morozov, who has converted big hopes into world championship medals, is getting ready for the full sprint schedule at nationals: 50 free, 50 back, 50 breast and 100 free. While he’s currently out of the global top 10 in the 50 and 100 freestyles at the moment, he’s definitely one who’s expected to break some records and make a splash in front of the home crowd this year.
Evgeny Korotyshkin, who turns 32 this month, is getting ready for Kazan as well. Last year presented some serious changes for the 100 fly Olympic silver medalist, as he left his long-time training location in Italy and moved back to Russia. He considered retirement and said he lacked motivation. Lot of opportunities came his way as he started a career in the Department of Sport in Moscow. A strong speaker against doping, Korotyshkin even addressed it to the Russian Parliament. Korotyshkin’s brilliant reputation and rethoric, along with bad press and criticism that affects the whole sport, convinced senators to introduce the anti-doping bill which could put athletes and coaches who repeatedly violate doping rules in jail. Even though FINA and IOC have spoken against prison sentences for doped athletes, and it may seem a really cruel punishment, it may help to solve the problem which not only harms the sport in general, but also hurts and discourages clean athletes whose teammates are banned as they automatically fall under unfair criticism. The bill debate continues and it’s going to take more than one hearing. As for Korotyshkin, he decided that he’s not ready to retire yet, which was a good news for his fans. He’s scheduled to swim 50 and 100 butterfly at Worlds Trials.
Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia Dalberto/Lapresse
The ladies’ side of the team promises a lot of interesting surprises. Yulia Efimova, whose suspension is over, has already posted the best time in the world in the 100 breast in a local meet in California.
“I’m so hungry to compete, I’ve been missing it a lot,” Efimova said in her first interview with the Russian press since her doping ban ended. “I was very nervous before my first start because of all the pressure I was under, but once I left the blocks, I felt like home. Now I’m more careful, more serious and, I believe, more mature.”
A more mature Efimova looks forward to competing in Kazan and hopes to win some medals for her team and fans. In addition to the full breaststroke schedule – 50, 100 and 200 – she’s going to try the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle, which are new events for her. She swam the 200 IM during the World Cup in 2013 but was only 27th in the world rankings. As for the 50 freestyle, it looks like a promising event since she trains with Dave Salo at the Trojan Swim Club, whose sprint workouts are famous among elite swimmers. Also having Morozov as a teammate could be a great benefit for anyone trying freestyle sprinting. She’ll face a strong field of sprint ladies like Junior World Champions Rozalia Nasretdinova and Daria Ustinova, national record holder Elizaveta Bazarova, Olympian Veronika Popova and others.
Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch
One of the most interesting races is going to be backstroke events, as the team’s most successful backstroker of the last decade, 24-year-old Anastasia Fesikov (formerly Zueva) makes a comeback to competitive swimming after giving a birth to her first child. Fesikov has won individual medals at every World Championships she participated in – two silvers from Rome in 2009 and gold and silver from Shanghai in 2011. She’s also a silver medalist from the 200 back at the London Olympics. During her two-year break from competitive swimming, she suffered a shoulder injury and went through surgery. She also married fellow swimmer Sergey Fesikov in August 2013 and was on maternity leave. She’s been back to the full-scheduled training for several months and has had one meet to try her new speed.
“Not that I wasn’t swimming at all,” she said. “I (swam regularly) to maintain a form after the birth of my son. RUSADA (the Russian doping agency) kept testing me even when I was pregnant, so I never was out of business, so to say. Now that I’m back to the full-length training, my son’s needs are still my main priority. However, I’ve swum a couple of events just to see how it goes, and I liked it. I’m getting closer to my pre-pregnant form and results. You have to be under 59 [in 100 back] to be a medal contender.
Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia D’Alberto
“The Rio Olympics is still my number one focus but I want to please my fans at Worlds. I’m not fully-shaped to do 200 back but I’ll do the 50 and 100. My son will be with me, watching his mom swimming from the stands. My husband will be next to me. You can’t ask for better!”
While Fesikov was out of the pool, some great backstroke talents joined the team. Daria K. Ustiniova, a multiple national and junior world champion, will be Fesikov’s main rival for the spot in the World Championships roster. She was the only Russian backstroker under 1:00 in the 100 back last year. While she still has much to improve in the international scene, Ustinova has two medals from major senior meets.
Russian Nationals start in Moscow on April 19. The start list (in Russian) can be found here.