A pair of USC Trojans are headed to Russia to train for the summer. Vlad Morozov, a member of the Trojan Swim Club team and a former NCAA Champion for USC, will be heading home to Volga in Volgograd to train with his coach Victor Avdienko, which is something we’ve seen from him in the past.
This time, though, he’ll take Santo Condorelli with him. Condorelli, who like Morozov is a sprinter, just completed his freshman year with USC.
Morozov confirmed via email from the airplane that he will arrive in Russia on Wednesday and remain there through the European Championships that will run from August 13th-24th in Berlin, Germany and the brand new Swim Stars in Singapore event with a $150,000 purse and is attracting some of the world’s best swimmers. Then it will be back to LA in the fall for more training with Dave Salo.
This is the same trip that Morozov took in the fall of 2012, working around the FINA World Cup Series. When he returned to Southern California, he went from one of the NCAA”s top sprinters to that title in a runaway, with perhaps the most impressive sprint performances in history, winning the NCAA title in the 50 and 100 free and splitting the famous 17.86 on a 200 free relay.
Condorelli will be hoping to catch that same spark after a solid freshman year at USC. He swam bests of 19.68 and 43.35 in the 50 and 100 freestyles, both of which came mid-season at the UT Invite. He also went a 47.28 in the 100 fly.
“When I was given this amazing opportunity to go train with him and his great coach I had to make it happen,” Condorelli said. “This trip for me is going to be a huge learning experience, both in and out of the pool. All in all there is a lot to learn from Vlad and his coach and what better way to learn it than to go and train with them. If I only take three things back with me to SC I’ll be a better swimmer.”
Condorelli also added that he hopes that the trip will improve his chances at making the national team this summer. Last year, he ranked 13th among Americans in the 100 free and 12th in the 50 free, with the top 6 in each event qualifying for the National Team.
Condorelli came to USC from that incredible 2012-2013 Bolles sprint group that included three of the eight best junior 50 yard freestylers in the country that year.
Can someone please provide a race video of Morozov’s 2010 junior national 50 freestyle (22.13). I can’t find it anywhere on the web and am very curious to see what his stroke and tempo in a 50 looked like compared to now
Great quotes Santo –
Great quotes Santo – smart to train with the best.
Santo will be in Irvine in August.
I wonder if Condorelli will be leaving earlier in order to compete at USA Nationals. He could be a finalist in the 100 free and compete for a relay spot.
TheTroubleWithX – yes, I think Santo was having trouble emailing us back directly because he and Vlad were traveling when we talked to Vlad, but it felt like Condorelli’s plan was to be back for Nationals.
Updated with Condorelli quotes above.
Vlad Morozov is the man!
Rich, we know who you are. There is plenty of room for another body in the Volga river
-Russian mafia
Heading home to dope?
Sowwy, had to say it.
does vlad look like he dopes?
Wow…can’t tell if your being sarcastic or not. :/
lots of people who dope don’t “look like they dope.” how do you spot an EPO user? or someone who uses blood transfusions?
You don’t have to go to Russia to dope.