Chikunova Moves To #7 All-Time With 1:04.92 100 Breast, Kostin Now #5 In 50 Fly (22.62)

2023 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Some of the fastest swims in history were produced on Day 4 of the 2023 Russian Swimming Championships in Kazan, with two National Records falling and four swimmers putting up the top time in the world this year.

Oleg Kostin and Arina Surkova set new Russian Records in the 50 butterfly, Evgeniia Chikunova became the eighth woman sub-1:05 in the 100 breaststroke, and Kliment Kolesnikov doubled up with victories in the men’s 50 free and 50 back. Additionally, Kirill Prigoda took over the world’s top spot in the men’s 200 breast.

KOSTIN CLIPS RUSSIAN RECORD, MOVES TO #5 ALL-TIME

Kostin set a new National Record in the 50 fly after being disqualified in the prelims.

The 30-year-old was one of five swimmers to contest a 50 fly time trial at the conclusion of the evening session, firing off a time of 22.62 to lower the Russian Record of 22.70 he set en route to winning silver at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju.

Previously tied at #6 in the all-time rankings, Kostin moves up to fifth, overtaking Serbian Milorad Cavic.

All-Time Rankings, Men’s 50 Butterfly (LCM)

1. Andrii Govorov (UKR), 22.27 – 2018 Sette Colli Trophy
2. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 22.35 – 2019 World Championships
3. Rafael Munoz (ESP), 22.43 – 2009 World Championships
4. Nicholas Santos (BRA), 22.60 – 2019 FINA Champions Series
5. Oleg Kostin (RUS), 22.62 – 2023 Russian Championships
6. Milorad Cavic (SRB), 22.67 – 2009 World Championships
7. Henrique Martins (BRA), 22.70 – 2017 BRA Super Cup
8. Matt Targett (AUS), 22.73 – 2009 World Championships
9. Ben Proud (GBR), 22.75 – 2017 World Championships
10. Cesar Cielo (BRA), 22.76 – 2012 Maria Lenk Trophy

Kostin also moves into #1 in the world this year by nearly three-tenths.

Earlier in the session, in the 50 fly semi-finals, Roman Shevlyakov paced the field in a time of 23.07, undercutting his previous best of 23.20 to sit fifth in the world rankings.

The 24-year-old was followed by Egor Yurchenko (23.19) and Mikhail Vekovishchev (23.33), while 100 fly winner Petr Zhikharev (23.42) qualified fourth and Andrei Minakov (23.43) sits in a tie for fifth entering tomorrow’s final.

SURKOVA RE-LOWERS 50 FLY NATIONAL RECORD

Surkova reset the National Record in the women’s 50 fly for the second time in as many days, taking down the mark of 25.59 she established in the semis by clocking 25.30 in Wednesday’s final.

The 24-year-old came into the meet owning the record at 25.61, set at the 2022 Russian Championships. She maintains her place as the #2 performer in the world this year, trailing world record holder Sarah Sjostrom, and moves into ninth in the all-time rankings.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 50 Butterfly (LCM)

1. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 24.43 – 2014 Swedish Nationals
2. Therese Alshammar (SWE), 25.07 – 2009 World Championships
3. Rikako Ikee (JPN), 25.11 – 2018 Mare Nostrum – Canet
4. Melanie Henique (FRA), 25.17 – 2021 French Nationals
5. Francesca Halsall (GBR), 25.20 – 2014 Commonwealth Games
6. Jeanette Ottesen (DEN) / Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED), 25.24 – 2013 World Championships / 2021 Dutch Test Event
7. –
8. Marleen Veldhuis (NED), 25.28 – 2009 World Championships
9. Arina Surkova (RUS), 25.30 – 2023 Russian Championships
10. Holly Barratt (AUS), 25.31 – 2019 FINA World Cup – Singapore

Anita Grischenko was the runner-up to Surkova in a time of 26.01, lowering her previous best of 26.19 set last year.

CHIKUNOVA ENTERS SUB-1:05 CLUB IN 100 BREAST

After taking over the top spot in the world rankings in the semis, Evgeniia Chikunova entered rarefied air in the final of the women’s 100 breast, becoming just the eighth woman to break the 1:05 barrier in 1:04.92.

The 18-year-old, who came into the meet with a PB of 1:05.90 from the Tokyo Olympics and then went 1:05.67 in the semis, now ranks seventh on the all-time performers’ list, moving past reigning Olympic champion Lydia Jacoby (1:04.95) in the process.

Chikunova’s swim is also the fastest we’ve seen since the Tokyo Olympics—Japan’s Reona Aoki led the 2022 world rankings at 1:05.19.

Now leading the 2022-23 world rankings by nearly eight-tenths of a second, Chikunova is still more than half a second shy of the Russian Record, set by Yuliya Efimova (1:04.36) at the 2017 World Championships.

All-Time Performers, Women’s 100 Breaststroke (LCM)

1. Lilly King (USA), 1:04.13 – 2017 World Championships
2. Ruta Meilutyte (LTU), 1:04.35 – 2013 World Championships
3. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:04.36 – 2017 World Championships
4. Jessica Hardy (USA), 1:04.45 – 2009 U.S. Open
5. Tatjana Schoenmaker (RSA), 1:04.82 – 2021 Tokyo Olympics
6. Rebecca Soni (USA), 1:04.84 – 2009 World Championships
7. Evgeniia Chikunova (RUS), 1:04.92 – 2023 Russian Championships
8. Lydia Jacoby (USA), 1:04.95 – 2021 Tokyo Olympics
9. Katie Meili (USA), 1:05.03 – 2017 World Championships
10. Leisel Jones (AUS), 1:05.09 – 2006 Commonwealth Games

Tatiana Belonogoff was a distant runner-up to Chikunova in 1:06.84, just over three-tenths back of her 1:06.51 PB set last year.

KOLESNIKOV FIRES OFF 24.12 50 BACK, 21.91 50 FREE IN DOUBLE

Kolesnikov recorded the 14th-fastest (tied for) swim ever to win the men’s 50 back, clocking 24.12 to take over the top spot in the world rankings.

Kolesnikov, who came into the night ranked second in the world after going 24.42 in the semis, moves past American Hunter Armstrong for the top spot.

Pavel Samusenko reset his personal best time in 24.28 to move into the #2 slot, and also now sits 11th all-time.

Now the owner of seven of the 20 fastest swims ever in the 50 back, Kolesnikov followed up by winning the 50 free less than 80 minutes later in a time of 21.91, a new season-best that moves him to 10th in the world this season.

Kolesnikov has now broken 22 seconds on six occasions, with his fastest coming at 21.69 last year.

Placing second in the 50 free was Vladislav Grinev, who clocked 22.16 to fall just .03 shy of his 2019 PB.

PRIGODA MOVES TO WORLD #1 IN 200 BREAST

After breaking 59 seconds in the 100 breast for the first time earlier in the meet, Kirill Prigoda continued his run of good form by taking over the top spot in the world rankings in the 200 breast, producing a time of 2:07.47 in Wednesday’s final.

The 27-year-old veteran narrowly misses his lifetime best of 2:07.25, set last July, and overtakes China’s Qin Haiyang for the fastest time in the world this season.

This is Prigoda’s third swim sub-2:08, having also clocked 2:07.85 in October 2020.

Daniil Semyaninov (2:09.82) edged out Mikhail Dorinov (2:10.12) to place second.

OTHER EVENTS

• Maria Kameneva qualified first into the final of the women’s 100 back, logging a time of 59.78 in the semis to rank 12th in the world this year. Kameneva owns a personal best time of 59.10 set in April 2021. Belarusian Anastasiya Shkurdai (1:00.14) sits second, while youngster Eggi Vlada was third in a PB of 1:00.61.
• 2008-born Sofia Dyakova set a Russian Age Record to win the women’s 400 free in a time of 4:07.17, edging out veteran Anna Egorova (4:07.41). Dyakova breaks the previous mark of 4:08.81 set by Arina Openysheva in 2015.
• After winning the 400 IM on Day 1, Anna Chernysheva completed the medley double by claiming the women’s 200 IM in a time of 2:13.20, resetting her previous best (2:14.15) to out-touch Anastasia Sorokina (2:13.27).