2018 Youth Olympic Games Day Six Recap: Minakov Earns Sixth Gold Medal

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The sixth night of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games continued tonight in Buenos Aires, Argentina with nine medal events on the final night of the competition.

Women’s 50 Free Final

Barbora Seemanova made it a sprint double in the women’s 50 freestyle, taking the gold in 25.14 to finish more than two-tenths ahead of the next closest competitor. Seemanova won the 100 free earlier in the meet in a new Czeh national record, and her time tonight was just .08 off of her own national record in the 50. In second was Mayuka Yamamoto of Japan (25.39), followed by China’s Yang Junxuan and Neza Klancar who tied for bronze in 25.47.

Men’s 200 Back Final

Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov completed a backstroke sweep tonight in winning the 200 back in 1:56.14. While he was a full second off his world junior record, he still beat out Romanian Daniel Martin by 2 seconds. In third was Manuel Martos Bacarizo of Spain in 1:59.37.

Women’s 100 Fly Final

In a close 100 fly final, it was Polina Egorova’s second 50 that made the difference, as she charged home on the rest of the field to take the gold medal in 59.22. Belarus’ Anastasiya Shkurdai was out first at the 50 in 27.45, but couldn’t hold on down the stretch and finished half second behind Egorova in 59.76 that was good for bronze. In second between the two was Angelina Koehler of Germany in 59.44.

Men’s 100 Free Final

Russia’s Andrei Minakov won the men’s 100 free in 49.23 just .03 ahead of Poland’s Jakub Kraska. That in Minakov’s sixth gold medal in six events, capping off an incredible meet for the 16-year-old. The silver and bronze medalists used amazing back halfs to storm home onto the medal stand, with Kraska and Sweden’s Robin Hanson recording the fastest closing 50’s to earn some hardware.

Women’s 200 Breast Final

Japan’s Shiori Asaba won her country’s lone gold medal of the evening in the women’s 200 breast, touching the wall in a quick 2:26.80 to win by more than a second. In silver medal position was Kotryna Teterevkova (2:28.18) and in third was Korea’s Wang Heesong (2:28.83), while 100 breast gold medalist Anastasia Makarova was all the way back in sixth in 2:29.03.

Men’s 200 Fly Final

Reigning European senior champion and world junior record holder Kristof Milak won gold in his specialty event tonight in a swift 1:54.89. While that was a full two seconds off of his personal best from Hungarian Nationals in March, it still bested the rest of the field by a full second. Ukraine’s Denya Kesil overtook Italy’s Federico Burdisso on the last 50 to finish in 1:55.89 and take silver, while Burdisso faded from even with Milak at the 150 to third place in 1:57.16.

Women’s 400 Free Final

Hungary’s Ajna Kesely was the only woman in the final under 4:10 tonight, taking gold in 4:07.14. The Hungarian kept it close through the 200 before pulling away from the field in the backhalf. That gives Kesely the World Junior, European Junior, and now Youth Olympic Games gold medals in the event. In second was Argentina’s Delfina Pignatiello (4:10.40), while Austria’s Marlene Kahler was third in 4:12.48.

Men’s 50 Breast Final

South African Michael Houlie was at the top of the podium tonight in the 50 breaststroke, winning convincingly in 27.51. Houlie was just two-tenths off his semi-finals time of 27.33, but was still quick enough to win gold by three-tenths. In second was China’s Sun Jiajun (27.85), while Canada’s Alexander Milanovich was third in 27.87.

Mixed 400 Medley Relay Final

China earned the final gold medal of the night in the mixed 400 medley relay, with the team of Wang Guanbin (55.31), Sun Jiajun (1:00.22), Lin Xintong (59.52), and Yang Junxuan (54.74) finishing in 3:49.79. In second was Russia, who passed Japan down the stretch with impressive splits of 51.63 on the fly leg from Minakov and 47.85 from Kolesnikov on the free leg. That moved Russia into silver with 3:51.46, ahead of Japan in 3:51.74.

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