Makovich breaks 400 IM junior record on final day of Russian Champs

On the final day of the Russian National Championships 17-year old Semen Makovich stole the show breaking the Russian junior national record and qualifying for Barcelona under the FINA A standard by posting a 4:17.78 in the men’s 400 IM. Coming into the competition Makovich’s best time was a 4:21.86, he breaks the record of 4:19.81 which was set by Igor Berezutkiy in 2002. The time also ranks eighth in the world so far this year.

Finishing second in the 400 IM was 17 year old Alexander Osipenko who swam a time of 4:20.27 just over the old junior record. Osipenko also made a significant drop in the event coming in with a best time of 4:23.13. Alexander Tikhonov finished third in a time of 4:23.07.

Makovich was the only swimmer under the FINA A time in the 400 IM therefore will be the only representative from Russia in the event.

In the women’s 50 breaststroke Yuliya Efimova posted a world best of 30.56, beating the previous best put up by Ruta Meilutyte by one one-hundredth of a second.

Valentine Artemyev finished second in a time of 31.38 followed by Anastasia Chaun who recorded a time of 32.13.

Both Efimova and Artemyev were under the FINA A standard in the event.

Vladimir Morozov, who had an outstanding meet winning the 100 freestyle in a world’s best 47.93, he broke the Russian national record in the 50 backstroke, won the 50 breaststroke, qualified for the World Championships in the 100 backstroke and on the final day won the 50 freestyle in a time of 21.81.

The time was slower than the 21.72 which he put up in the semi-finals.

Nikita Lobintsev finished second in a time of 22.19 followed by both Andrey Grechin and Evgeny Lagunov tying for third in a time of 22.28.

Morozov and Lobinstev were both under the FINA A time standard.

The women’s 50 freestyle was won by Svetlana Knyaginina in a time of 25.20. She was followed by both Rozaliya Nasretdinova and Margarita Nesterova who tied for second in a time of 25.60.

Knyaginina was the only woman under the FINA A standard.

Veronika Popova took the women’s 200 butterfly in a time of 2:10.81, which is under the FINA B standard. She was followed by Yana Martynova who finished second in a time of 2:12.79 with 15 year old Anastasia Guzhenkova finishing third posting a time of 2:14.06.

Elena Sokolova won the 400 freestyle, the final individual event of the competition, in a time of 4:14.51, which is under the FINA B standard. Ksenia Yuskova finished second in a time of 4:17.45 with Valeria Salamatina finishing third in a time of 4:18.92.