Russian National Championships: Anastasia Zueva Posts World Leader

MOSCOW, Russia, April 19. THE Russian National Championships continued through day three with a variety of world-class times going up on the scoreboard.

FINALS
Anastasia Zueva smoked the women's 200 back with a blazing time of 2:06.59. That swim shot her to the top of the world rankings, ahead of Belinda Hocking's 2:06.68 from Australia last month. Her Russian record is a 2:04.94 from the techsuit era. Maria Gromova (2:11.11) and Yuliya Larina (2:12.97) finished a distant second and third, outside the FINA A cut of 2:10.84.

Danila Izotov crushed his time from semis yesterday of 1:47.96 with a triumphant time of 1:46.56 in the men's 200 free tonight. That performance moved him to fifth in the world, behind only Yannick Agnel (1:44.42), Michael Phelps (1:45.69), Takeshi Matsuda (1:45.96) and Sun Yang (1:46.05). Evgeny Lagunov will join Izotov on the Olympic roster with a 1:47.47 for second. That effort clipped the FINA A cut of 1:47.82, and moved Lagunov to 16th in the world rankings with the swim. Artem Lobuzov (1:47.53) and Nikita Lobintsev (1:47.78) put themselves in place for potential relay duty in Russia's 800 free relay depending on how Russia's selection process plays out.

Vyatcheslav Sinkevitch secured an Olympic spot with a 2:11.04 to win the men's 200 breast. That time not only improved his 11th-ranked season best of 2:11.38 from earlier in the meet, it confirmed his season best as a FINA A cut time (2:11.74). Anton Lobanov touched second in 2:12.35, while Marat Amaltdinov (2:12.38) completed the top three.

A day after breaking 1:07 in semis with a fifth-ranked 1:06.92, Yuliya Efimova captured the women's 100 breast title in 1:07.05 to lock down her Olympic roster spot. Dania Deeva finished second tonight in 1:07.22, besting the FINA A cut of 1:08.49 to give Russia a second Olympic qualifier in the event. Anastasia Chaun placed third with a 1:08.74, nearly a year after battling an injury sustained during a blood draw that likely caused thrombophlebitis shortly before the 2011 World Championships.

Svetlana Fedulova won the women's 50 free going away with a 25.32, while Veronika Popova (25.77) and Natalia Lovchova (25.83) rounded out the top three. Fedulova just missed the FINA A cut of 25.27, but cleared the B cut of 26.15 for provisional qualification.

Nikita Konovalov won the men's 50 fly in 23.32, after posting a 23.26 during semis tonight. The semifinal time just missed the Russian record, and tied Cesar Cielo for the top time in the world this year. Konovalov moved to 21st all time in the event, just behind Evgeny Korotyshkin's Russian record of 23.24. Korotyshkin took second tonight in 23.95, while Roman Kajgorodchev finished third in 24.20.

SEMIFINALS
Yana Martinova topped the women's 200 IM semifinal heats with a 2:14.75, while Dania Belyakina placed second in 2:14.81. The two have some time to make up to guarantee a spot on the Olympic roster, as the FINA A cut is 2:13.36. Kristina Kotsekova qualified third in 2:15.03, while Veronika Popova finished fourth in 2:15.18.

Arkady Vyatchanin led the way in semis with a 1:58.69 in the men's 200 back. He is just off the FINA A cut of 1:58.48 for a guaranteed spot on the Olympic roster, but is good enough to rank 23rd in the world. Anton Anchin (1:59.19) and Artem Dubovskoy (2:00.80) rounded out the top three.

Special thanks to Rokur Jakupsstovu of Swimmer's Daily for translation of results.

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