The world junior championships showed us some promising talent in the pool, but none as spectacular as Turkey’s Viktoria Guynep Gunes. The 17-year-old vaulted herself from future star to gold medal hopeful in next year’s Olympic Games with four gold medals and a history-making swim in the 200 breaststroke.
Gunes, formerly known as Viktoria Solnceva when she held Ukrainian citizenship, immigrated to Turkey with her family. She immediately improved in her swimming, winning a few medals in youth competition last year. She showed some promise at the world championships in Russia in early August, just missing the final of the 200 IM and 200 breast.
Gunes was one of the few people to uncork best times in Singapore. After winning the 50 and 100 breast handily, she she reset her junior world record in the 200 IM with a 2:11.03. But none of her swims prepared us for what was to come in the 200 breaststroke.
Taking the lead quickly with long and controlled strokes, Gunes was racing the clock by the 50-meter mark. Certainly her meet record of 2:23.12 that she set at the 2013 junior worlds (as Viktoria Solnceva) was going to fall. But to challenge the world record of 2:19.11?
The time on the scoreboard – 2:19.64 – shocked even Gunes. She had swum 2:23.81 at the world championships just three weeks earlier, and she wasn’t expecting such a dramatic time drop.
“I tried to do 2:22 many times,” she said after the race. “It’s amazing, this result.”
Gunes is now the fourth-fastest performer in history in the event, joining an exclusive group of swimmers under the 2:20 barrier: world record holder Rikke Moller Pedersen, world champion Yuliya Efimova and Olympic champion Rebecca Soni. To make things even more amazing, Gunes’ time would have won in Russia at the world championships.
Will Gunes become Turkey’s first Olympic medalist in swimming when she steps up for the 200 breast in Rio de Janeiro next summer? It’s likely, but the competition will be tough. For now, congratulations to Viktoria Zeynep Gunes on earning the Swimming World Performance of the Week!
Do not give people politically wrong information.
Victoria moved to Turkey way before Crimea was willingly by decision of people of the lend joining back to Russia!
She also has Russian coach in Turkey now.
Shame on you!
Thanks for the clarification.
What a joke Crimea willingly joint Russia. I , mean you Igor willingly joint USA . Russia annexed Crimea , using force and false referendum.
Jeff , he did not clarify your article , he trolled it.
Shame on you Igor.
Oleg, what is your last name. Are you hiding something?
Open people know history by facts!
Let’s not mix sport, swimming with politics any way.
Let’s be happy for the nice new swimming star and Irina Viatchanina, coach who gave ua Ulia Efimova and now Victoria! This is amazing!
I am happy for this swimming star. I am even happier for american swimming stars yaoung and fast , like K. Ledecky. Do not bring politic in the water it will get muddy.
You were a great swimmer at one time, now be a good citizen of your adopted country.
My name is Oleg Chebotarev, I have nothing to hide comrade
Fantastic meet! USA had some 1st class Managers, Coaches, and Administrative personnel, that made this an INCREDIBLY positive experience for ALL the swimmers! Kudos to Frank Busch and his staff 🙂
The Best.
Any coach who has an association past or present with Efimova is a big problem in my eyes. Yes I understand what I am saying. I hope it turns out this coach makes better decisions with the development of this young girl than those that have been made systematically in Russia across almost all sports.
Are you referring to Dave Salo as well?
Come on people, just be dissent!
Be happy for the new stars in swimming and the coaches with incredible level of expertise.
Before blaming Russia, just look into facts of the history of doping in US sports!
I personally thing that L. Armstrong did way more for the community, charity, cancer people, positive US image in the world and Tour de France than anyone ever!
Some people do not do anything in the whole life, but judge everyone.
There is no questions that rules in Russian sports do not exist. Unfortunately, people of Russia think that it is ok to bent rules and fool everybody. We do have problems with doping in USA, but we are trying to fix it and certainly are not proud of it.
I hope Victoria stay clean and make her new country proud.
I wish her also to have a good competition with American swimmers. Go USA.