Andrei Minakov Takes Down Chalmers’ World Junior Record in 100 Free<\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrei Minakov<\/strong> sent an ominous warning and rattled the national record with victory in the 100m freestyle in 47.57 at the Russian Championships in Kazan.\u00a0The 18-year-old had ensured the final session of the competition – which also serves as a qualifier for the Olympics in Tokyo next July – started with a performance that will reverberate across poolsides around the world.<\/p>\n

Not only was it Minakov who lit up the Aquatics Palace. Evgenia Chikunova<\/strong> won the 200m breaststroke in 2:21.87 and Alexander Kudashev stopped the clock at 1:55.60 in the 200 fly.<\/p>\n

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Andrei Minakov – Photo Courtesy: FINA \/ Budapest 2019<\/p><\/div>\n
Minakov had already been a regular visitor to the podium at the Aquatics Palace in Kazan this week, including a trip to the top step in the 100 fly.<\/p>\n
Vladislav Grinev<\/strong> had posted the swiftest time in the semis but the 18-year-old left the field in his slipstream: out in 22.84 and back in 24.73. His 47.57 took .01 off Kyle Chalmers’ world junior record, the Aussie’s time from his Olympic-title swim in 2016.<\/p>\n
Behind Minakov came Grinev in 48.38 and Alexander Shchegolev\u00a0<\/strong>(48.81).<\/p>\n
Grinev’s Russian record of 47.43 – set at the Russian Championships in Moscow in April 2019 – still stands but Minakov is young and of an age where they take chunks off PBs.<\/p>\n
It was a time that would have been good enough for silver in Gwangju where the 17-year-old was second in the 100 fly, swam the prelim as Russia took silver in the men’s 4×100 free and the fly leg on their bronze-medal winning men’s medley relay.<\/p>\n
He returned to go 51.79 on the fly leg as St Petersburg came second in the men’s medley relay behind Moscow who were anchored by Grinev in 47.83.<\/p>\n
Evgenia Chikunova Does The Treble<\/h3>\n
Chikunova started the final session with golds in the 50 and 100 breaststroke but it was elder sister Daria that led by 0.76 at halfway.<\/p>\n
The younger Chikunova more than made up on the time on the third 50 to turn with a lead of 0.05 and a final blast of 36.59 saw her stop the clock first.<\/p>\n
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Evgenia Chikunova – Photo Courtesy: FINA \/ Budapest 2019<\/p><\/div>\n
Splits: 32.78\/1:09.21\/1:45.28\/2:21.87<\/p>\n
Maria Temnikova<\/strong> also turned it on in the final 50 in 36.67 to overhaul the one-time leader and finish in 2:23.19 to claim her third silver of the week.<\/p>\n
Daria finished third in 2:24.81.<\/p>\n
In the 200 fly, Kudashev went ahead on the third 50 and turned 0.31 ahead of Vadim Klimenischev\u00a0<\/strong>at 150 with a final blast of 30.40 propelling him home.<\/p>\n
His time was 1.29secs outside the Russian record of 1:54.31.set by Nikolay Skvortsov<\/strong> at the 2008 Olympics and would have been good enough for sixth at the 2019 worlds.<\/p>\n
Splits: 25.91\/55.19\/1:25.28\/1:55.68.<\/p>\n
Klimenischev – born in 2003 – was second in 1:56.50 as he and Kudashev repeated their finishing places at the Russian Swimming Cup at the start of October.<\/a><\/p>\n
Tarasevich Takes Third Backstroke Title<\/h3>\n
Grigoriy Tarasevich<\/strong> completed the backstroke treble with victory over 200m where the top three were separated by 0.13.<\/p>\n
He had a lead of 0.39 at the final turn over Maxim Fofanov<\/strong> and held off his fast-finishing rival to win in 1:58.33.<\/p>\n
Fofanov was second in 1:58.38 while Egor Dolomanov<\/strong> produced a final-50 blast of 29.87 to claim third in 1:58.46.<\/p>\n
Daria Vaskina<\/strong> won the 100 fly in 58.63 ahead of Daria Klepikova<\/strong> (58.75).<\/p>\n
It was a mainly young field – the oldest being born in 1998 – but notable was the appearance of Vlada Eggy<\/strong> – born in 2007 – and eighth in 1:01.43.<\/p>\n
Anastasia Guzhenkova<\/strong> came from 0.38 down at 150 to take the 200 free in 1:57.75 ahead of Valeria Salamatina<\/strong> (1:57.98) with Elizaveta Klevanovich<\/strong> winning the women’s 50 free in 25.15.<\/p>\n
Alexander Egorov<\/strong> came from second with 100 to go to take the 1500 free in 15:06.66 and Kirill Strelnikov<\/strong> won the 50br in 27.14.<\/p>\n
The championships came to a close with the women’s 4×100 medley relay where the St Petersburg quartet of Aleksandra Kurilkina<\/strong>, Eggy, Chikunova and Aleksandra Bykova<\/strong> won in 4:06.67.<\/p>\n
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