2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- April 13-18, 2025
- Kazan, Russia
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- Livestream
On the first night of the 2025 Russian Swimming Championships, 18-year-old rising star Miron Lifintsev clocked 52.74 in the semifinals of the men’s 100 backstroke, moving to 4th in the world rankings.
Current World Rankings:
- Hubert Kos (HUN) – 52.24 (4/10)
- Pieter Coetzee (RSA) – 52.71 (4/9)
- Oliver Morgan (GBR) – 52.71 (2/14)
- Miron Lifintsev (RUS) – 52.74 (4/13)
- Thomas Ceccon (ITA) – 52.84 (3/15)
A relative unknown just a year ago, Lifintsev made a big step forward in 2024. He broke the World Junior Record in the 100 back with a time of 52.08 at the Russian Swimming Cup in July, improving upon his own mark of 52.34 set at the Russian Championships a few months earlier. He also posted a 24.28 in the 50 back last year, a time that ranked 3rd globally.
Lifintsev’s swim tonight appeared controlled and measured. He opened the first 50 meters 0.40 seconds off his best-ever pace and closed 0.26 slower, appearing to never move out of second gear. Below is a comparison of splits between his time tonight and his two best performances.
Splits Comparison:
| Lifintsev’s In Sunday’s Semifinal | Lifintsev’s Best Time & World Junior Record | Lifintsev’s 2nd Fastest Time Ever | |
| First 50m | 25.40 | 25.00 | 25.34 |
| Second 50m | 27.34 | 27.08 | 27.00 |
| Total Time | 52.74 | 52.08 | 52.34 |
The 18-year-old won’t have it all his own way in Monday’s final though, as Pavel Samusenko (52.86) and Kliment Kolesnikov (52.91) also broke the 53-second barrier in the semifinals and sit just a couple of tenths behind.
Kolesnikov, the national record holder with a 51.82 from the 2023 Russian Cup, is also the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist. At those Games, Russia delivered a historic 1-2 finish, led by Evgeny Rylov’s gold-winning 51.98.
In what was arguably the biggest surprise of the meet, Rylov failed to qualify for the final, placing 14th in the semifinals with a time of 54.96.
Regardless, the two of the three swiftest Russian swimmers ever in this event—Kolesnikov and Lifintsev—will go head-to-head in tomorrow’s final. Samusenko, meanwhile, will be eyeing a top-two finish to punch his ticket to the World Championships in Singapore. To be considered for selection, swimmers must place in the top two and swim under the 53.46 qualifying standard.
Lifintsev, who turns 19 on April 25th, had his international breakout at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, where he won five gold medals, including individual titles in the 50 back (22.47) and 100 back (48.76), setting World Junior Records in both events.
