2021 RUSSIAN NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- April 3-9, 2021
- Palace of Water Sports, Kazan, Russia
- Prelims: 9:00 am local/2:00 am Eastern, Finals: 6:00 pm local/11:00 am Eastern
- LCM (50m)
- Russian Olympic Qualification Procedures
- Meet Central
- Start Lists/Results
- Live Stream (YouTube channel)
It was a fitting end to a phenomenal week for Maria Kameneva, as the 21-year-old lowered her Russian Record in the women’s 50 freestyle on the final night of competition at the Olympic Trials in Kazan.
Kameneva won the final in a time of 24.20, lowering her previous record of 24.21 set at the 2018 European Championships. The performance vaults her into a tie for fourth in the world in the 2020-21 season, and also gives her sole possession of 17th all-time in the event (previously sitting in a tie for 17th with Rikako Ikee).
2020-2021 LCM Women 50 Free
McKeon
23.81
| 2 | Cate Campbell | AUS | 23.94 | 06/17 |
| 3 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | NED | 23.97 | 05/18 |
| 4 | Pernille Blume | DEN | 24.06 | 05/17 |
| 5 | Sarah Sjostrom | SWE | 24.07 | 08/01 |
Entering the meet with a season-best time of 24.92, Kameneva progressively got faster through each round here in Kazan, clocking 24.52 in the prelims and 24.33 in the semis before her 24.20 final performance. The semi-finals were notably contested earlier in the same session as the final.
That progression wasn’t something new for Kameneva either, as she had similar results in the 100 free and 100 back, events she also won. She got faster in each round of the 100 free (54.18, 53.88, 53.56), and was very close to doing so in the 100 back (59.65, 59.10, 59.19).
Set for her first Olympic appearance in all three events this summer, Kameneva comes in equipped to handle the big stage after a very strong showing at the 2019 World Championships that included a fifth-place finish in the 50 free.
Taking second in the event was Arina Surkova, who clocked a lifetime best 24.53 to add a second event to her Olympic program. Surkova had already qualified in the 100 fly.