Daria Ustinova, Sergey Fesikov Shine at Russian Cup

daria-ustinova-russian-cup-2015
Photo Courtesy: Anna Kovalskaya/RUSSwimming

By Maria Dobysheva

Daria K Ustinova clocked the world’s fourth fastest 200 backstroke at the final stop of Russian Cup in Ruza, Moscow region – 2:07.42. Even though it’s not her season’s best so far (she’s currently third in the world with 2:07.29), it was the best swim of the meet and a solid warm up before her most important start of the year, World Championships in August. Irina Prikhodko finished second with 2:11.14 and Anastasia Osipenko was third, 2:11.53.

Ustinova also won 100 and 50 backstrokes. Many expected Ustinova to go sub-1.00 in the 100 back but she was swimming relaxed and let her rivals chase her, which was quite unusual to see. Yet she won with 1:00.62, touched out Irina Prikhodko (1:00.66) and Ekaterina Tomashevskaya got to the wall third, 1:02.38.

The last win by Ustinova at Russian Cup was the 50 back, the event she won’t swim at Worlds. It was an impressive battle between Ustinova, Irina Prikhodko and multiple medalist of European Games in Baku Maria Kameneva which Ustinova won with 28.63 to 28.69 by Prikhodko and 28.78 by Kameneva.

Bronze medalist of Olympic Games in 4×100 relay, Sergey Fesikov was injured at Russia Nationals in April and couldn’t show his best results to qualfy for Worlds. In Ruza, he won 50 freestyle and 50 backstroke and was third in 50 butterfly. In 50 free he got his title with 22.38, a good result for someone recovering from injury. Evgeny Lagunov was second with 22.52 and Andrey Arbuzov third, 22.54. In 50 backstroke, Fesikov won with 25.24, a result within worlds top 25 and beat his closest rival by half of a second – the silver medalist Andrey Arbuzov clocked 25.72 and Denis Kovalenko 26.05. Fesikov was also set to win his third splash and dash but left third in the 50 fly, behind Andrey Zhilkin (23.58) and Nikita Konovalov (23.66).

Victoria Andreeva ended up the meet with two golds and one silver. She won 200 free, against national record holder Veronika Popova and other strong swimmers with result of 1:57.81. Popova got silver, 1:58.28 and Darya Mullakaeva was third, 1:59.80. In 200 IM Andreeva won with 2:13.68 against Ekaterina Andreeva (2:14.95) and Yulia Larina (2:18.96). In 100 freestyle, the event with the most strong field in the whole meet, Andreeva (55.09) lost to Veronika Popova who posted 54.76, with Maria Kameneva for bronze – 55.35. National champion of the event Natalia Lovtsova left fourth, 55.39.

Vycheslav Sinkevich after disappointing results at Nationals could produce impressive swim in 200 breaststroke which he won with 2:11.17. This swim might be not within world’s top 12 (he was six ranked in 2013) yet the time he posted could have placed him second at Nationals. Sinkevich won with two second-lead against silver medalist Ilya Khomenko (2:13.21), with Sergey Silin for bronze – 2:14.06.

In other breaststroke events, Andrey Nikolaev was a winner in 50 with 27.78, Falko Grigory a silver (28.14) and Alexander Polyansky a bronze medalists (28.24). Grigory Falko got his title in 100 breast with 1:01.06, with Andrey Nikolaev for silver (1:01.90) and Kirill Strelnikov for bronze (1:01.95).

Natalia Lovtsova celebrated victory in two events. After a disappointing fourth place in one of her best events 100 free, she won 50 free with 25.00, with Darya S Ustinova for silver (25.21) and Darya Kartashova for bronze (25.41). After that, Lovtsova won 100 butterfly, got first to the wall with 58.61. Polyakova Anna (59.38) and Ekaterina Lvova (1:00.33) completed the podium. Additionally Lovtsova finished second in 50 butterfly (26.93) behind Maria kameneva (26.58), with Darya Kartashova for third (27.09).

Anton Anchin doubled up with 100 and 200 backstroke victories. He won his first title in 100 back, posted 55.58, ahead of Dmitry Maltsev (55.64) and Pavel Kosmynin (55.70). In the 200 he managed to touch out the same Maltsev (2:00.62 to 2:00,74) and Igor Sorokin got bronze (2:02.00).

Freestyle relays for Worlds still have some spots open and men’s 100 and 200 free were events to test the speed and try to get the last ticket to Kazan. Nikita Konovalov, one of candidates for 400 free relay, won with 49.30, with Evgeny Lagunov 49.39 and Stanislav Stepanov 49.63. Lobuzov Artyom was a winner of men’s 200 free with 1:47.59. National champion Krasnykh Alexander got silver, 1:48.87 and Stanislav Stepanov was third, 1:50.30.

Chikunova Darya who made some splash at Russian Juniors earlier this week, won the women’s 100 breast with 1:09.48. Alyona Efimova got silver (1:10.04) and Ramilia Nigmatullina for bronze (1:10.20). Darya doubled her golden account with a win in 200 breast with 2:26.86. Sofia Andreeva finished behind and got silver, 2:27.28 and Vera Kalashnikova was third, 2:33.29.

Womens 400 free

1. Valeria Salamatina 4:14.68
2. Darya Mullakaeva 4:14.88
3. Anastasia Kirpichnikova 4:17.88

Womens 1500 free

1. Angelina Kargaltseva 8:58.97
2. Darya Scheglova 9:12.66
3. Darya Iluridze 9:14.40

Womens 50 breast

1. Artemyeva Valentina 32.23
2. Vera Kalashnikova 32.42
3. Ramilia Nigmatullina 32.54

Womens 200 fly

1. Guzhenkova Anastasia 2:15.43
2. Schelkotunova Valeria 2:17.73
3. Ekaterina Lvova 2:18.74

Womens 400 IM

1. Andreeva Ekaterina 4:57.56
2. Kargaltseva Angelina 4:57.79
3. Ivanenko Anastasia 4:58.90

Mens 400 free

1. Alexander Krasnykh 3:50.07
2. Dmitry Kuznetsov 3:55.35
3. Danila Smirnov, 3:55.60

Mens 1500 free

1. Igor Krylov 15:58.75
2. Victor Komendantenko 16:19.80
3. Georgy Abaturov 16:22.25

Mens 200 butterfly

1. Kudashev Alexander 1:59.37
2> Kharlanov Alexander 1:59.55
3. Skvortsov Nikolay 1:59.99

Mens 200 IM

1. Nikita Denisyako 2:00.73
2. Mikhail Dovgalyuk 2:02.60
3. Andrey Maslov 2:02.80

Mens 400 IM

1. Alexander Osipenko 4:27,19
2. Ivan Pavlov 4:28.11
3. Daniil Pasynkov 4:28.81

2015 Russian Cup, Full Results in Russian – Results

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x