LumaLanes Performance of the Week: Chupkov Makes a Move in the 200 Breast

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Photo Courtesy: Singapore Swimming Federation

This week’s Performance of the Week, sponsored by LumaLanes, goes to Anton Chupkov, who lowered the Russian record in the 200 breaststroke this week at the Canet stop of the Mare Nostrum Tour.

Chupkov stopped the clock at 2:07.46, taking more than half a second off of his season best and moving him up to third in the world. The old Russian record was set by Chupkov last summer at the Rio Olympics, where he finished in 2:07.70 for the bronze medal.

While the time itself is impressive, what make this performance notable is that it adds another name to the list of potential winners in this event at this summer’s world championships. The men’s 200 breast was one of the closest races at last year’s Olympic Games and should be the same this summer. The event is one of the deepest and fastest events right now, and because of that is without a clear favorite for gold in Budapest.

The 200 breast is the only event in which a long course world record has been set this year (Ippei Watanabe broke it back in January), and the top three men are all within a second of that new record while several more within the top ten have lifetime bests close to the record as well. Watanabe’s teammate Yasuhiro Koseki has been 2:07.18 this year, and with U.S. Nationals scheduled to start next week expect the the list of potential gold medal challengers to increase as Josh Prenot and several other Americans have their first extended rest of the season.

And don’t forget about defending Olympic gold medalist Dmitriy Balandin, whose winning time from Rio is now tied with Chupkov at No. 10 on the all-time performances list. At just 20 years old, Chupkov could have a lot left in the tank heading into this summer and over the next four years, making him yet one more to watch in the 200 breaststroke.

Congratulations Anton Chupkov on earning Swimming World’s Performance of the Week!

Special Thanks to LumaLanes for sponsoring Swimming World’s Performance of the Week.

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