Evgeniia Chikunova Obliterates World Record in 200 Breast with 2:17.55 at Russian Champs

CHIKUNOVA Evgenia ENS Energy Standard (ENS) ISL International Swimming League 2021 Match 9 day 1 Piscina Felice Scandone Napoli, Naples Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Photo Courtesy: Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Evgeniia Chikunova Obliterates World Record in 200 Breast with 2:17.55 at Russian Champs

Egveniia Chikunova routed the world record in the women’s 200 breaststroke on Friday at the Russian Championships in Kazan with a time of 2:17.55.

That time crushes the existing mark, Tatjana Schoenmaker’s 2:18.95 from the final of the Tokyo Olympics. It also is more than 1.5 seconds quicker than what had been the European record, set in 2013 by Rikke Moller Pederson at 2:19.11. Yulia Yefimova had owned the Russian mark since 2013 at 2:19.41. Chikunova already owns the Short-Course European record at 2:14.70 and was near the world record held by Rebecca Soni since 2009. (Chikunova also owns the short-course world junior record in the 200 breast.)

Chikuova’s splits:

32.13 – 35.15 – 35.19 – 35.08 – 2:17.55

Schoenmaker’s splits in Tokyo:

31.64 – 35.42 – 35.42 – 36.47 – 2:18.95

Chikunova was nearly nine seconds clear of the runner-up, Belarusian Alina Zmushko.

Results

Schoenmaker’s swim in Tokyo was the first and one of only two individual world records broken at that Games. Chikunova finished fourth in that final in 2:20.88, .04 seconds off Annie Lazor’s bronze-winning time. The 18-year-old had entered with a best time of 2:20.41, set last summer.

Chikunova’s swim came on the final day of the Russian championships in Kazan. It comes with Russian and Belarussian athletes still in limbo as to whether they can compete internationally due to the former nation’s 2022 invasion and ongoing war with Ukraine. World Aquatics is still exploring a possible pathway for the return to competition of Russia and Belarus, though that may not come in time for this summer’s World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. The prospect for the Paris Olympics in 2024 is even more muddled, though Russia’s men’s basketball team has been barred from qualification in what may be a bellwether.

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Lynne

11 months ago

Totally not sus at all…

John Miranda

11 months ago

President Jimmy Carter boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics keeping Americans and many others out of the games because of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Then afterwards the Soviets led a retaliatory boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

The USA invaded both Iraq and Afghanistan. A majority of NATO nations were involved in the invasion and destruction of Libya. Many nations were involved in the wars in Syria and Libya.

THERE WERE NO BOYCOTTS OR ATHLETES RESTRICTED FROM OLYMPIC COMPETITION OVER ANY OF THESE INVASIONS OR WARS.

Attempting to prevent athletes from participation in Paris 2024 is wrong.