Russia Puts 30 on Olympic Roster; 9 Left in Limbo

Photo Courtesy: Anna Kovalskaya/RUSSwimming

Editorial Coverage Sponsored By FINIS

The Russian Swimming Federation named 30 swimmers to the nation’s roster for the 2016 Olympic Games. These swimmers were selected based on their performances at last week’s Russian Nationals.

The women’s team is lead by Daria Ustinova, who posted the world’s 3rd best 200 backstroke at Nationals. Svetlana Chimrova set the Russian 100 fly record at the meet as well.

Those two women are joined by Sofia Andreeva, Viktoriya Andreeva, Daria Chikunova, Anastasiya Fesikova, Natalya Lovtsova, Daria Mullakaeva, Rozaliya Nasretdinova, Arina Openysheva, and Veronika Popova for a total of 11 women.

The men will be taking 19 swimmers. Sprinter Vladimir Morozov highlights the men’s roster after his performances at Nationals. Evgeny Koptelov will bring some backstroke speed to Brazil. Though not an Olympic event, Grigoriy Tarasevich swam the world’s second best 50 backstroke, and later the fifth best 100, last week. He is joined by National record setter Kirill Prigoda.

Vyacheslav Andrusenko, Anton Chupkov, Mikhail Dovgaluk, Andrey Grechin, Danila Izotov, Ilya Khomenko, Alexander Krasnykh, Nikita Lobintsev, Aleksandr Popkov, Yaroslav Potapov, Evgeni Rilov, Aleksandr Sadovnikov, Andrey Shabasov, Aleksandr Sukhorukov, and Vsevolod Zanko complete the team.

Nine other swimmers still have a chance of also boarding the plane to Rio.

Yulia Efimova is currently serving an anti-doping suspension, but will be named to the team if that is repealed in time.

Four swimmers did not meet Olympic A standards, but the Federation has recommended that they be named to the team. Those swimmers are Aleksei Brianskii, Ilya Druzhinin, Semen Makovich and Daniil Pakhomov.

Natalia Ivaneeva, Aleksandr Osipenko, Nikolay Skvortsov and Andrey Zhilkin will have the chance to make the team at the European Championships, beginning May 9 in London.

The WSCA contributed to this report.

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Dave Crampton

7 years ago

so how does that work. You dont make Rio A times but are included in the team?