On day 1 of the 2013 Cup of Russia in Kazan, which doubles as their World Championship Trials, none of the meet’s biggest stars had finals quite yet.
The two event winners through one day of the meet include 21-year old Evgeny Kulikov from the Moscow Swim Club, who won the men’s 400 free in a lifetime best of 3:50.46. The other final in this meet that will employ prelims-semifinals-finals for races 200 meters or shorter was in the women’s 400 IM. There, Yana Martynova won in 4:41.23. That’s well off of her National Record set at the 2008 Olympics, but more concerningly it’s three seconds slower than she was even at this same meet last year.
Most of the headliners, meanwhile, were swimming in semi-finals on Tuesday evening. That included, among the highlights, the men’s 100 backstroke, where Arkady Vyatchanin took the top seed in 53.99, followed closely by Vlad Morozov (54.17) and Anton Butymov (54.68). Those top two seeds, Vyatchanin and Morozov, both train in the United States and were Russia’s representatives at last year’s Olympics. They’re both under the FINA Automatic Qualifying Time, so in finals they’ll be shooting to repeat times and hold off Butymov for those top two spots.
In the men’s 100 breaststroke, the top seed went to 20-year old Kirill Strelnikov in 1:00.60, which bettered 200 meter specialist Vyacheslav Sinkevich (1:01.25). Veteran Roman Sloudonov, now 33-years old, didn’t swim this race, which seems to be the end of a breaststroking era in the country. Sloudonov is the National Record holder in the race. Just as he falls off, bring on the rise of the young Strelnikov, who in this semi-final set a best time and hit a FINA ‘A’ qualifying mark for worlds.. In the last 12 months, he’s knocked more than two full seconds off of his personal best.
In the women’s 200 backstroke semi-final, Maria Gromova took the top seed in 2:11.16, followed by Daria Ustinova in 2:12.29. Ustinova is the 14-year old who, earlier this year, received a “reprimand” for a violation of doping rules, and then proceeded to swim World-Ranked times in both the 100 and 200 backstrokes. Both women will need to drop time in finals to hit qualifying marks. Absent from this race was Olympian Anastasia Zueva. She is the defending Olympic silver medalist in the race.
Lastly, in the sprint semi-finals, Nikita Konovalov, Evgeny Koptelov, and Evgeny Sedov hit in rapid succession from 23.50-23.64, which makes them the top three seeds headed into finals. Evgeny Korotyshkin was 4th in 23.92; he was the Olympic silver medalist in the 100 last year, so expect him to be more competitive in finals. For Sedov, that 23.64 is a new Russian Junior Record.
(Editor’s note: Three Evgeny’s in the top four semi-final finishers in the butterfly.)
In the women’s 50 fly semi’s, we saw a similarly-tight group of four led by Svetlana Chimrova (26.61) and followed by Daria Tsvetsova in 26.73. The top three are all teenagers in that race.
Can anyone perhaps post a link of Sedov swimming? He has put up some fast times but I cannot find any clips or videos of him.
The very good news is : Whatever we dream to see from Morozov , Cordes , and all the other great international swimmers for Barcelona , the Mystery is intact . 3 months are between now and those great championships , many are full in preparation , adjustments and the Us trials are gonna deliver probably many surprises and confirmations … In only 2 months .
The relays are gonna be epic , just because M Phelps is not there anymore as well as many other great swimmers . This give space to many new options for everyone … EXCITING Championships to come … hope to manage to get there end of july to see the races live and… Read more »
Is it a mild surprise to anyone else that Vlad is not going the 100 meter breast instead of backstroke? He is a likely mid 53s and that is not a medal and possibly not a final. After his short course season I am convinced he can go materially under a minute in the 100 breast and might have more of a shot to medal there.
I am guessing he will be a flexible asset on the 400MR for the Russians as he can capably do the back, the breast or the free leg. I am also guessing his free is just too out there to not use him on the anchor.
I’m not even sure Cordes will be comfortably inside a minute. The difference between SCY breastroke and LCM breast is immense. I remember Van der Burgh racing to insane times in SCM 2010 before he was subminute material in LCM.
We will see where his freestyle is at this meet. But I wouldn’t get overly optimistic. His underwaters are better than Cielo’s which could account for his faster times in SCM, but in reality, he may not be faster than 47.8-48.0. I would be surprised (pleasantly) to see Morozov beat Adrian’s 48.11 World leading time at this meet.
Exactly, the difference between SCY and LCM is huge in breastroke. I bet Vlad can’t go faster than 1.02. Also, I heard some “patriots” are expecting Cordes to go 2.04 in 200 LCM breast. That’s never gonna happen just because he was 1.48 in SCY. He is somewhere around 2.08 high in my opinion.
Cordes or anyone else isn’t going a 2.04 anytime soon.
Yes of course, he will even go under 2 minutes this year! Let them dream. It’s good to dream! But please, don’t start again this debate about Kevin Cordes!
208 high would still be a big improvement for Cordes. I’d take it.
that is not enough even to medal..
I would bet Gyurta and Yamaguchi can go 2:06..
I would predict 1.01 at best for Vlad Morozov in the 100 breast in long course. And I’m perhaps very optimistic. SCY and LCM are 2 different worlds. The pool would be very very very long for him in this race. We are already not sure of his abilities on freestyle in long course. Is he able to swim around 21.50 in the 50 free and under 48 in the 100 free. Probably but we are waiting for the confirmation.
Is his swimming style, with much frequency, a problem in long course? Can he swim one day 47.50 or better with this style? Wouldn’t he be very tired in the last 20 meters? I’m not a specialist so I ask the question. But I think we’ll have the answer very soon.
I think his height might be worse for him than his style..
The difference between LCM and SCY is huge, but especially and magnifically so in the 100 breast.
Brazil Start up official list.
http://www.bestswimming.com.br/2013/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/10269250000000E000000000000000000000895.pdf
Surprises: Pereira still on 400IM, Cielo won´t swim the 100 free.
Pereira will sim 400Im, 200IM, 100 fly and 100 free.. Cielo 50 fly/free
But this is not the only meet for Worlds..The Brazilian Champs will be held from 14~19 may.. there we may see Pereira swimming 100 back and Cielo the 100 free.. but I think Cielo and Pereira will swim this for Relay Purpose only..
Good for Pereira for keeping the 400 IM. It was one of his best events, so I wasn’t sure why he would drop it in the first place. He has a good chance of winning a medal especially with Phelps gone and Lochte (presumably) not swimming it this summer. I don’t think anyone is beating Hagino, but he will be among the top 5 for sure.
He wants to be part of the medley relay and free relay.. He is probably aiming for 48mid
If chiereguinni goes 48 flat and lucca something close.. then probably Cielo will swim the relay too, and Pereira will try the 100 back to be on medley relay.. can´t see he beating Arthur Mendes on 100 fly for that spot..
The Russian men’s medley relay is to watch. If Arkady Vyatchanin is back at his best and is able to swim 53 low in the 100 back, it becomes interesting for them. And if they can have a breaststroker around 1.00 or better, it changes things. Because then, they have Evgeny Korotyshkin on butterfly and Vlad Morozov on freestyle.
Actually on medley relays Bobo, what do you think of the French one? I hope Giacomo Dortona can step up to take the mantle of Hugh Duboscq, because with their Back/Free legs being insanely strong, a very decent fly from Bousquet/Stravius and a decent Breast they could definitely challenge. However they’ve never seemed to get it right in the last few years since 10
If only we had a breaststroker…
With Jérémy Stravius or Camille Lacourt on backstroke (around 52.50/53 low), Jérémy Stravius or Mehdy Metella on butterfly (around 52 low) and Yannick Agnel on freestyle (around 47.50), it’s very fast and close to USA. The problem is breaststroke. We expected a breakout meet for Giacomo Perez Dortona. It didn’t happen. Worst, he has swum slower than his PB. 1.00.64 is really bad and not enough, of course for the win but even for a medal. But if in Barcelona he can step up and swim around the minute, yes, the French medley relay will play the second place behind USA. But Australia, Japan and Russia are also strong contenders.
Still, the French will have trouble even medaling. Unfortunately for France, I think Australia and Japan are too strong, and that Russia also has potential to swim well this summer. For the US–Grevers can hopefully go sub 52, Cordes should break a minute, Lochte could probably split 50.8-51.0 if he focuses on that event, and Adrian should pull a 47.0-47.3 on the relay. I think they’ve got this one. But the 4×100 relay however, the French should win (but we’ve said that before, too-see 2008, 2009). The 4×200 relay will be a heck of a race.
Australia lost someone? No guy retired?
I would not bet on Cordes break a minute.. at least not flat start by now.. and Lotche going sub 51 not too.. but on Overall they are the favorites..
But Not being a Lotche Hater.. If he does not beat Mcgill he should stop crying and be left out the relay..
In london relay final, Australia had Hayden Stoeckel – Christian Sprenger – Matt Targett – Magnussen
Not sure if Stoeckel is still swimming, but Australia has younger guys who have all swum 53+: Delaney, Arnamnart, Treffers.
Sprenger is still swimming I’m sure, as is Targett. But Targett is actually not Australia’s fastest 100 flyer: Wright was not on form in London, so Wright or still improving 19 yo Jayden Hadler can absolutely go faster in Barcelona than Targett did in London’s relay.
Sprenger could definitely go faster as well, his relay split was slower than his individual silver swim. And you can bet Magnussen wants to redeem himself; his relay split was also slower than his individual PB.
Vlad does a 100 IM… Scm
Is Zueva taking a year off or is she automatically qualified based on her olympics result?
She broke her foot in October bad enough that she had to have surgery on it and is still working on getting back into things. She’ll swim the 100 but the 200 is too much of a stretch right now.
I am not mistaken, Sedov is only seventeen.Keep one eye on him.
Yes, clearly. Impressive times for a so young sprinter.