2018 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
- October 6th-18th, 2018
- Swimming Portion: October 7th-12th, 2018
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Schedule & Results
- Entries
- YouTube Live Stream
The Russian machine continued their impressive string of success on day 4 of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, culminating with a gold medal and new junior world record in the men’s 400 medley relay to finish off the session.
Kliment Kolesnikov, the fastest 50 backstroker in history and the fastest ever junior in the 100 back, gave Russia a massive 2.45 second lead on the opening leg of the relay in a time of 53.34. Vladislav Gerasimenko (1:01.50) lost a bit of ground to China’s Sun Jiajun (1:00.12) on the breaststroke leg, but it was all Russia from there as individual 100 fly winner (and new Russian Record holder) Andrei Minakov had the top fly split by a wide margin in 51.14 and Daniil Markov closed things off on the free in 49.19.
That gave them a final time of 3:35.17, edging them past Italy’s 3:35.24 from the 2017 European Junior Championships for a new junior world record. The same four Russian swimmers also won the 2018 European Juniors in 3:35.58.
Full PDF results of the race can be found here.
Below, check out a split comparison of the new and old records:
| Italy, 2017 European Juniors | Russia, 2018 Youth Olympic Games |
| Thomas Ceccon – 54.72 | Kliment Kolesnikov – 53.34 |
| Nicolo Martinenghi – 58.93 | Vladislav Gerasimenko – 1:01.50 |
| Federico Burdisso – 52.69 | Andrei Minakov – 51.14 |
| Davide Nardini – 48.90 | Daniil Markov – 49.19 |
| 3:35.24 | 3:35.17 |
Kolesnikov and Minakov gave Russia big leg up on back and fly, enough to offset the advantage Italy had with Nicolo Martinenghi on breaststroke, while their two freestyle legs were only three-tenths apart.
The record by the Russian team is even more impressive considering the fact that countries can only bring four male and four female athletes to the Games, which has often resulted in swimmers being forced into ‘off’ events to service all of the different relays. For example, Italian Thomas Ceccon, who won the 50 free, took silver in the 50 back and qualified 1st in the 50 fly semis all in this session, swam breaststroke on their relay as they had no legitimate breaststroker on their limited roster. Fortunately for the Russians, these four are all versatile enough to be competitive in multiple events here whilst allowing them to have a record breaking relay performance.
It would be nice for USA to consider putting together a top 8 squad to contend in this quadrennial event. Whoever is left over will still gain valuable experience at Jr Pan Pacs, or whatever alternative meet is available that year. Finishing 9th out of 9 in a medley relay in prelims, and not even advancing past Italy (using their least worst breaststroker) is pathetic- and you can’t blame the US Swimmers that are there.
Are these kids even gaining valuable experience as tourists? (Excluding Rhyan White- who is kickin butt).
It is valuable racing experience for anyone to travel for a long meet like this and it is a good strategy by the U.S. to have different athletes get this experience because down the line in 2020 and 2024 it’s no guarantee that the junior pan pacs swimmers will be the ones representing the U.S. anyways. As for why have the top tier athletes swim at junior pan pacs instead of this I think it may be because having that junior pan Pacs meet right at the end of the taper for nationals anyways is probably advantageous compared to having to perform well, wait two months, then expect to still hold that speed.
better, yet do like the Brits, and dont send anyone there.
The Malvinas or as Barack said The Maldives .
don’t let this distract you from the fact that Joseph Schooling went a 50.7 in practice for the 100 fly in July of 2017, beating Caeleb Dressel’s time at Nationals.
Oh no not this again
Cool
Prior to Sarah Sjostrom, Sweden had two other women who won World Championships/European Championships and set World Records in the 50m Fly (Anna-Karin Kammerling, 7 world records and Therese Alshammar – not sure how many times she set the world record but she still holds the record in SCM and is the 2nd fastest ever in LCM).
Um ok
Don’t drink and post….
Koleskinov, Chupkov/Prigoda, Minakov, Morozov will be a medal contender
They’ve already won a medal in Budapest with Rylov, Prigoda, Popkov and Morozov.😉