2018 Swammy Awards: World Jr Male Swimmer of the Year Kliment Kolesnikov

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2018 WORLD JUNIOR MALE SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: KLIMENT KOLESNIKOV

We’re well past the half-way point between the 2016 Rio Games and the 2020 Tokyo Games, and as chatter grows about medal favorites, underdog chances, and so on, more eyes are trained on the future of the sport. A year and a half can make a world of a difference for a swimmer of any age, but it can really have an impact on elevating a young standout to a dominant champion.

For the junior boys, Russian Kliment Kolesnikov has had a stellar 2018.

The backstroke specialist, who turned 18 over the summer, started to see his junior international experience translate into world-class success this year. The highlight of his year was undoubtedly his 50 back gold medal at 2018 Euros, where his 24.00 took .04 off of the super-suited World Record set in 2009 by GBR’s Liam Tancock.  Kolesnikov’s talent was undeniable this summer, as he also won golds in the 100 back and 400 free relay (with a very strong 47.39 anchor) and garnered silvers in the mixed and men’s medley relays and a bronze in the mixed 400 free relay at Euros.

Just the other week in Hangzhou, at the 2018 World SC Champs, Kolesnikov took down the meet and World Junior record with a gold medal performance in the 100 IM, not far from the WR there, and he also secured a bronze medal in the 100 back. He was also on four Russian medal-winning relays, including the 4×100 free relay (with a very fast 45.36 anchor) and leading off their gold medal 4×50 medley relay (22.87).

HONORABLE MENTIONS

In no particular order

• Kristof Milak (Hungary): Milak only medaled in one event at Euros this summer, but he sure made it count. Clocking a time of 1:52.79 in the 200 fly, he won gold, breaking the meet record in the process. That time is seriously impressive, but just off of his performance at Hungarian Nationals in March, where he blasted a 1:52.71. That moved him to the 3rd-best performer ever, behind only Laszlo Cseh and Michael Phelps (both legends).
• Elijah Winnington (Australia): One of a couple up-and-coming freestyle talents out of Australia, Winnington opted out of SC Worlds, but just recently swam a huge 1:46.13 in the 200 free to set a new WJR in long course. Additional highlights this year have been a new WJR in the 400 SCM free, from October, and producing the only sub-1:46 split on Australia’s gold medal 4×200 free relay at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in April, where he split 1:45.97 as the Aussies broke the championship record.