Everyone hoped to see a world record hit in Kazan, and the second competition day of the FINA Swimming World Cup made it happen. Kyle Chalmers of Australia fulfilled his promise of Doha and improved his own, season’s, and world’s best by some 0.20 sec in 100m freestyle.
The men's freestyle race saw a power Australian Kyle Chalmers and the rest of the world in action. He starred all the way long up to the final buzzer and recorded his 4th gold 100m freestroke title this season, improving his time of Doha 45.03 to 44.84. He was rewarded accordingly, by a 10 000US dollars bill.
Russian Vladimir Morozov came immediately after the winner, 46.32, followed by Kliment Kolesnikov, 46.35.
It was definitely a dream, I am not sure if I was planning it, but I knew exactly what I have to do to swim that fast. To deliver this performance was rather a big challenge. To be performing better every single time I dive into the pool. If I can deliver something like that in Abu Dhabi, the fans will be excited to watch.
Individual medley events
In fact, the afternoon program of the Competition Day 2 started in the best possible way, with a thrilling final in the women’s 400m Individual Medley. Two of the top 3 experienced their second tour to the podium in Kazan.
In fact, the win of Zsuzsanna Jakabos never looked in doubt, the fastest in the morning and the pace-setter of the first two legs, she proved expectations of the crowd, clocking down her new and the world cup season’s best, 4:30.38. Anastasiya Sorokina of Russia swam to her joy and at one moment, somewhere at 350m, saw Maria Ugolkova of Switzerland in front of her. She did her best to overtake the distinguished opponent and eventually sealed silver, 4:31.85. Turkish Viktoria Gunes finished the third, 4:32.64, disappointing the very Maria Ugolkova, who was considered one of the medal hopes and finished fourth in 4:33.94.
Another unpredictable but at the same time a well-deserved win highlighted the men’s 200m IM. The action took place well in the middle of the pool, with lanes 4, 6 and 5. Japanese Olympian Daiya Seto on his unusual distance managed to brush a World Cup record, 1:50.66, overturning the South African junior genius Matthew Sates. The 3-time winner of the race and junior world record holder was rather solid in the beginning, but then could not be that fast to meet the Japanese challenge and moved down to the second, 1:52.32. A fresh face on the podium was a club representative and 2016 relay world champion Daniil Pasynkov, defeating in his turn a 3-time silver medalist of the stroke Danas Rapsys, 1:53.67 – 1:53.74.
I wanted to break a National Record again, and I am happy I did it. Actually, 200 IM is not my favorite distance, but I felt comfortable there. I hope to stay in good shape later on in the season to be competitive at the FINA Worlds this December.
Freestyle events
A very unpredictable final took place in the longest free style distance of the program. Russian Alexey Rtischev had been setting pace for a while. He took the lead early, but then ran out of gas and let his opponent Akos Kalmar regrip it as the distance hit its midst. However, the only Swimming World Cup 2021 awardee in the final did not manage to keep the flag that high and came out with his third silver finish in the 2021, 14:48.26. Rtischev made good use of the last 25 meters and collected gold for first time this year, 14:47.27. Another breakthrough took place on the clash on bronze as Sergey Semenov, a club’s swimmer, overtook Anatoly Nesterov of Russia, and completed the podium, 14:58.17.
I don’t like the way I did in the race. I had some more expectations laid on it. During the race, I suffered some pain in the right side of my body, however I tried to get concentrated on my goal, and I was rewarded for the efforts. When I saw my opponent running out of gas, I just took the lead. This is not my specialization, I swim 1500m for the third time in all my life.
In the women’s 200m free, Australia celebrated a 1-3 finish. Madison Wilson increased her gold medal’s tally to 4. She sealed her last, but not the least race of the stroke in style, 1:53.63. Her teammate Leah Neale got bronze, 1:54.67, adding it to her gold of 400m free, and Ekaterina Nikonova of Russia surprisingly sealed silver, 1:54.58.
Of course, I feel proud of the win I got, I am very emotional about it. I want my family to be proud of me. I was sick before the competitions start. I am happy I can be competitive now, and I am happy to be in Kazan.
Backstroke events
Yesterday Russian Olympic star Kliment Kolesnikov pocketed silver in 100m IM. Today he went on this way in the shortest backstroke event, 23.12. The sprint was fast and tremendous, as usual. He started like a bullet, but there was another Russian in the field, Pavel Samusenko, in front of him and he went even faster to clock 22.90 to hit the season’s best, posted by Hungarian Kristof Milak in Budapest, 23.08. Another clash took place on the bronze and pictured Sergey Fesikov narrowly defeating Szebastian Szabo of Hungary, 23.67 – 23.70.
The time is OK, I am pleased with the result. My opponents have been strong indeed, they have been the top motivation for me to swim fast. My next challenge will be at the European Short Course Championships this November and FINA Short Course World Championships in December.
The podium of Kazan in the women’s 100m backstroke had 2 fresh faces. The familiar one was definitely Kira Toussaint, who recorded her third gold win this year, the 28th overall in the swimming world cup. She sliced her own season’s best of Budapest, by 0,30 sec, 55.42, and edged out two Russians -national swimmer Daria Vaskina, 57.94, and club’s swimmer Elizaveta Agapitova, 58.27 (they earned silver and bronze respectively).
I am very happy about the time I clocked down. I was hoping to go even faster. Tomorrow I will swim one more time in Kazan.
Breaststroke events
Fabian Schwingenschlogl of Germany offered an outstanding swim in the men’s 50m breaststroke final. In lane 7, he departed not very fast, but has been increasing the pace steadily in the second half, and surprised everyone in the pool and himself as well, celebrating his first gold in the series, 25.88. Thus, he improved both the season’s best by 0.12 seconds and German National Record.
Arno Kamminga collected his second silver in the season (to come along his 2 golds) on a very fast time, 25.95. Club’s athlete Kirill Strelnikov came out on the third, 26.20, whereas one of the medal hopes Peter Stevens of Slovenia was lowly 7th, 26.26.
A full Russian podium was registered in the women’s 100m breaststroke. Winner of the prelims and yesterday’s champion in 200 breast Vitalina Simonova this time did not do well against Yulia Efimova. The star improved her personal best in a close out-touch-battle, 1:04.56, and Simonova recorded 1:04.57, though her silver never looked in doubt. Bronze went to Mariia Belonogoff, 1:05.42.
I am happy as I swim better every time. The covid year was difficult, and after it, the results are not so high, but I do better. I am not very good at short water, because I am no way the master of the turns, but it is always interesting for me to compete.
Butterfly events
The clash on gold in the 50m women’s fly was between Australia and Australia. Holly Barratt defeated her distinguished compatriot, Emma McKeon 24.75 – 24.94. For both the medals were second pieces earned in Kazan after 50m back and 50m free respectively. Arina Surkova of Russia was definitely faster, than last year, though could not rank higher than third, 25.36.
In the absence of Japanese Daiya Seto, who set pace in the men’s 200m fly at the 3rd stop in Doha, it was a good chance for the US Tom Shields to shine bright and he did not miss it. He touched home 1:52.42 after the start, increasing his medals collection to 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze in the 200m fly only. Louis Croenen of Belgium pocketed silver, 1:53.32, his second medal piece in the event this year, and Russian freshman Egor Pavlov collected bronze, 1:55.45.
Mixed free relay
The second day in Kazan concluded with the mixed 4x50m free relay, and the competition was between Russian clubs only. The fight was bright, but the winner never looked in doublt – Novosibirskaya oblast, composed of Daniil Markov, Aleksandr Borovtsov, Anita Grischenko and Victoriia Starostina, 1:33.73. Silver went to host Kazan team, formed by Alexey Merzlyakov, Renal Nazipov, Irina Zlobina and Olesya Korchagina, 1:34.22. Vasily Kukushkin, Ilia Tolstov, Yana Sattarova and Daria Kartashova, representing Saint Petersburg, finished on third, 1:34.66.
Summery. The day turned out to be very fruitful registering another wins for Zsuzsanna Jakabos and Madison Wilson. Russia scored their first gold medals, and German’s Fabian Schwingenschlogl and Daiya Seto of Japan updated their National Records.
After two competition days of the FINA Swimming World Cup #4 in Kazan the team overall sees Australia keeps on the high tempo with a good golden bag of 6 piece and 12 overall. Russia, Club teams, the Netherlands go after on 3 top quality medals, as the number of gold winning nations in Kazan counts a perfect 10.
Competition day 3 will finish the program of the swimming week-end in Kazan on 30 October, 2021. The ultimate 12 sets of medals are on offer, including 3 freestyle, 2 fly, back, breaststroke and individual medley races and a cherry on the cake 4x50m mixed medley relay.