Morozov One of Three New Olympic Qualifiers On Final Day In Kazan

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)

The Russian Olympic swimming team grew to 25 members on the final day in Kazan, with Vladimir Morozov headlining the trio of swimmers that officially qualified on Friday.

Morozov, who placed fourth in the 100 freestyle, secured a third Olympic berth by winning the men’s 50 free in a time of 21.41, his second-fastest swim ever and the #1 clocking in the world this season.

The 28-year-old attended both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Games, including winning a bronze medal in the men’s 400 freestyle relay in London.

Qualifying for their first Olympic team on the day was 22-year-old Mikhail Vekovishchev, who took second in the men’s 100 butterfly, and 18-year-old Kirill Martynychev, who claimed second in the men’s 1500 freestyle.

In the men’s 50 free, Kliment Kolesnikov and Ilya Shevchenko tied for second place in a time of 22.01, exactly on the FINA ‘A’ standard. The Russian qualifying procedure states that if two swimmers tie for second and third and are under the cut, the Olympic spot goes to the swimmer with the faster semi-final. In this case that goes to Kolesnikov, who was .01 faster in the semis (22.17).

That gives Kolesnikov three individual events for the Games, unless he were to defer the 50 free slot to Shevchenko.

Also Adding Events To Their Olympic Program On Day 7:

• Alexander Egorov won the men’s 1500 freestyle to add it to the 400 and 800 free.
• Andrei Minakov placed first in the men’s 100 fly to add it to the 100 free.
• Maria Kameneva claimed the women’s 50 free, setting a new National Record, to add a third event to her Olympic lineup, having also won the 100 free and 100 back.
• Arina Surkova placed second to Kameneva in the 50 free to add that race to her Tokyo schedule after winning the 100 fly earlier.
• Anna Egorova won the women’s 800 free, giving her two Olympic events after winning the 400 free earlier.
• Anastasia Kirpichnikova was the runner-up to Egorova, and will now tackle the 400/800/1500 triple in Tokyo.

RUSSIAN OLYMPIC ROSTER (UNOFFICIAL)

While these are all of the athletes officially qualified to compete in Tokyo, the Russian Swimming Federation could add up to two men and two women for relay-only purposes.

The names likely to be considered on the men’s side would be Vladislav Grinev (third in the 100 free) and Alexander Shchegolev (third in the 200 free), while the women could opt to add Veronika Andrusenko and Anastasia Guzhenkova, who took first and second in the 200 free but failed to meet the ‘A’ cut. Elizaveta Klevanovich would also be in the mix after taking third behind Kameneva and Surkova in the 100 free.