Salnikov Cup: Aleksandra Gerasimenya Strong in 50 Back on Day One

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia, December 28. THE first day of short course meter competition of a two-day end-of-the-year Salnikov Cup featured some strong times.

Belarus' Aleksandra Gerasimenya clinched the women's 50 back crown in 26.61. That swim put her third in the world rankings this year behind only Gao Chang (26.00) and Zhao Jing (26.27). Margarita Nesterova finished second in 27.72, while The Netherlands' Hinkelien Schreuder snagged third in 27.86.

Sergey Fesikov improved to 17th in the men's 50 fly this year with a winning 23.06. Ivan Ivanov (23.44) and Ukraine's Andriy Govorov (23.46) placed second and third. Ukraine's Andrei Kovalenko captured the men's 200 breast in 2:07.13 to move to 23rd in the world rankings. Grigory Falko took second in 2:07.64, while Ukraine's Valeriy Dymo earned third in 2:09.23.

Nikita Lobintsev won the men's 100 free in 47.15, while South Africa's Lyndon Ferns claimed second in 48.02. Belarus' Evgeny Tsurkin finished third in 48.77. Lobintsev has been faster with the third-ranked 46.35 from the World Short Course Championships earlier this month. Veronika Popova clinched the women's 200 free title in 1:55.99. Elena Sokolova took second in 1:56.97, while Daria Belyakina placed third in 1:57.89. Notably, Kim Vandenberg of the U.S. was disqualified in the finale.

Stanislav Lakhtyukhov snared the men's 50 breast in 27.03, while compatriot Sergey Fesikov finished second in 27.28. Ukraine's Andrei Kovalenko rounded out the top three in 27.37. Denmark's Rikke Moeller Pedersen cruised in the women's 100 breast with a 1:06.84 for the win. She's been much faster with a fourth-ranked season best of 1:04.80 from Worlds. Catherine Baklakova finished second in 1:07.41, while Natalia Geraskina placed third in 1:08.15.

Alexander Tikhonov dominated the men's 400 IM in 4:08.89, short of his 14th-ranked season best of 4:06.39 from Worlds. England's Joe Roebuck touched second in 4:12.25. Dmitry Gorbunov earned third in 4:13.92.

The Netherlands' Inge Dekker raced to victory in the women's 100 fly with a 57.55. She finished just off her fourth-ranked season best of 56.51 from the European Short Course Championships. Anastasia Lyazeva took second in 58.42, while Irina Bespalova completed the podium with a third-place 58.97.

USA's Randall Bal picked up the men's 100 back title in 51.67. Sergey Makov touched second in 51.97, while Vitaly Borisov also beat 52 seconds with a third-place 51.99. Poland's Pavel Korzeniowski topped the men's 200 fly in 1:54.00. Alexander Vorobyov took second in 1:57.18, while Sergei Ivanov placed third in 1:57.48.

Alexander Selin won the men's 400 free in 3:44.61, shy of his 16th-ranked season best of 3:43.70 from last month. Evgeny Kulikov placed second in 3:46.97, while Alexander Shimin earned third in 3:48.25. Schreuder, who stands second in the world this year with a 23.81 in the women's 50 free, won the splash-and-dash tonight in 24.45. Svetlana Fedulova touched second in 24.56, while Dekker claimed third in 24.70.

Denmark's Lotte Friis cruised to victory in the women's 800 free with an 8:23.68. Anastasia Ivanenko finished second in 8:27.85, while Elizabeth Gorshkov touched third in 8:30.40. South Africa's Gerhard Zandberg posted a 53.65 to win the men's 100 IM. Dmitry Zhilin (54.48) and Andrei Vyacheslav (55.11) finished second and third.

Maria Gromova (2:07.76), Christina Vershinin (2:10.35) and Maria Hahn (2:10.56) comprised the podium winners in the women's 200 back.

Day One Finals Results

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