2021 FINA World Cup – Kazan: Day 2 Finals Live Recap

2021 FINA WORLD CUP STOP #4 – KAZAN

• Thursday, October 28 – Saturday, October 30th
• Kazan Aquatics Palace, Kazan, Russia
• Prelims: 10 am local / 3 am ET
• Finals: 6 pm local / 11 am ET
• SCM (25m)
• Results

The penultimate night of finals on the 2021 FINA World Cup circuit in Kazan figures to be an exciting one, particularly in the men’s 100 freestyle.

In that event, Australian Kyle Chalmers is targeting the world record after recording the third-fastest swim ever—.09 off the all-time mark in 45.03—last week in Doha. Chalmers set a new Oceanic and Australian Record in the 50 free on Thursday, clocking 20.68, so he’s clearly on top form.

Chalmers paced the prelim field in 46.74, with several top names joining him in tonight’s final, including Russians Vladislav Grinev, Vladimir Morozov and Kliment Kolesnikov, and Romanian youngster David Popovici.

If Chalmers gets his hand on the wall first, it will mark four straight wins in the event for the World Cup circuit. Also in contention of sweeping their respective event for the World Cup today is Kira Toussaint in the women’s 100 backstroke, Madi Wilson in the women’s 200 free and Matt Sates in the men’s 200 IM.

Sates will battle Japan’s Daiya Seto, the World Cup Record holder, for the first time in the 200 IM for the first time here in Kazan.

WOMEN’S 400 IM – TIMED FINAL

• World Cup Record: 4:18.94, Mireia Belmonte (ESP), 2017

1. Zsuzsanna Jakabos (HUN), 4:30.38
2. Anastasiia Sorokina (RUS), 4:31.85
3. Viktoria Gunes (TUR), 4:32.64

Zsuzsanna Jakabos came through with her fastest swim of the season to hold off Russian teenager Anastasiia Sorokina and win the women’s 400 IM in a time of 4:30.38, her third victory in the event in the four-stop World Cup circuit.

Jakabos held a big lead on the field at the 200m mark, but Sorokina began to chip away at the Hungarian’s advantage, out-splitting her by over a second on the second 50 of breaststroke (38.76 to 39.93) and close to a second on the first two lengths of freestyle (31.67 to 32.58).

Jakabos buckled down and out-split the 17-year-old on the closing 50 to win by almost a second and a half, improving her previous season-best of 4:31.15.

Sorokina clocked 4:31.85 for second, well under her previous best of 4:34.62 set last month while competing in the ISL.

Viktoria Gunes used a strong free leg of her own to run down Switzerland’s Maria Ugolkova (4:33.94) and claim third in 4:32.64, lowering her Turkish Record of 4:33.56 set in October 2019.

MEN’S 1500 FREE – TIMED FINAL

• World Cup Record: 14:15.49, Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR), 2016

1. Alexey Rtishchev (RUS), 14:47.27
2. Akos Kalmar (HUN), 14:48.26
3. Sergei Semenov (RUS), 14:58.17

Akos Kalmar found himself in another head-to-head showdown in the men’s 1500 freestyle at the World Cup.

Last week in Doha, Kalmar duelled it out with South Korean Kim Woo-min, ultimately falling off towards the end of the race and placing a distant second.

Today in Kazan, Kalmar found himself locking horns with Russian Alexey Rtishchev, as the two men battled neck and neck for the entirety of the race.

Kalmar made a move with about 300 meters to go, and at the 1400m turn, he was up by more than two seconds on Rtishchev. But the Russian charged back, splitting 25.87 on the last 50 to claim the win in 14:47.27, while Kalmar settled for second once again in 14:48.26.

Rtishchev’s time knocks some 19 seconds off his personal best of 15:06.55, while Kalmar swims four seconds quicker than he did in his showing in Doha.

18-year-old Russian Sergei Semenov was the only other man to crack 15 minutes, using a strong final 150 to get under the elusive barrier in 14:58.17.

MEN’S 50 BACK – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 22.61, Peter Marshall (USA), 2009

1. Pavel Samusenko (RUS), 22.90
2. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 23.12
3. Sergey Fesikov (RUS), 23.67

It was a Russian sweep (and an upset of sorts) in the men’s 50 backstroke final, as Pavel Samusenko took down LC world record holder Kliment Kolesnikov in a blazing-fast time of 22.90.

Samusenko, 20, lowered his personal best time from 23.63 to 23.24 in the prelims, and knocks nearly four more tenths off of that to take over second in the 2021-22 world rankings. It’s also the first sub-23 swim on the 2021 FINA World Cup circuit, and makes it four different winners in the event over the four stops.

Kolesnikov, 21, was .01 slower than his season-best in 23.12 to take second, while 32-year-old veteran Sergey Fesikov rounded out the all-Russian podium in 23.67.

It was a very competitive field with seven of the eight finalists cracking 24 seconds. Hungary’s Szebasztian Szabo, who hit a PB of 23.47 earlier this month, was 23.70 for fourth, followed by Russian Grigory Tarasevich (23.88).

WOMEN’S 200 FREE – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 1:50.43, Sarah Sjostrom (SWE), 2017

1. Madi Wilson (AUS), 1:53.63
2. Ekaterina Nikonova (RUS), 1:54.58
3. Leah Neale (AUS), 1:54.67

Madi Wilson would simply not be denied a fourth consecutive victory in the women’s 200 freestyle, pulling away from Russian Ekaterina Nikonova to win the event in a time of 1:53.63.

Nikonova opened up a slight lead at the 150 turn, but Wilson turned on the jets coming home with a 28.40 split to seal the win. Her time is just over a tenth off of her season-best 1:53.54 set in Doha.

Nikonova, 18, held off another Australian in Leah Neale to take second in 1:54.58, as she dips under her previous best time of 1:55.14. Neale, who fell to fourth in Doha, was almost two seconds faster than last week for third in 1:54.67.

MEN’S 200 IM – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 1:51.09, Daiya Seto (JPN), 2018

1. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:50.66
2. Matt Sates (RSA), 1:52.32
3. Daniil Pasynkov (RUS), 1:53.67

Matt Sates‘ unbeaten run in the men’s 200 IM came to a screeching halt as Daiya Seto put on a dominant display in the Kazan final, blasting a new World Cup Record and personal best time of 1:50.66.

Seto trailed Sates by almost half a second after the fly, out in 24.39 to Sates’ 23.94, but took off after that and never looked back, splitting 27.93/31.40/26.94 on back, breast and free to lower his previous World Cup Record of 1:51.09 set in 2018.

The 27-year-old also took a tenth off his PB of 1:50.76, set in the 2019 ISL Final (the same meet that he set the 400 IM world record), and narrowly misses the Asian and Japanese Records of 1:50.47, set by Kosuke Hagino in 2014.

Seto’s swim today stands as the fourth-fastest in history:

1. Ryan Lochte (USA), 1:49.63 – 2012
2. Ryan Lochte (USA), 1:50.08 – 2010
3. Kosuke Hagino (JPN), 1:50.47 – 2014
4. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:50.66 – 2021
5. Daiya Seto (JPN), 1:50.76 – 2019

Sates took second in 1:52.32, matching his time from the Doha stop identically. The South African set a new World Junior Record of 1:51.45 at the beginning of the circuit in Berlin.

Russia’s Daniil Pasynkov (1:53.67) held off Lithuanian Danas Rapsys (1:53.74) for third, with Rapsys rocketing home in 26.67.

WOMEN’S 100 BACK – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 55.23, Shiho Sakai (JPN), 2009

1. Kira Toussaint (NED), 55.42
2. Daria Vaskina (RUS), 57.94
3. Elizaveta Agapitova (RUS), 58.27

Kira Toussaint finishes off her sweep of the women’s 100 backstroke on the circuit in dominant fashion, winning by more than a second and a half in a blistering time of 55.42.

Toussaint’s showing moves her past Canadian Ingrid Wilm (55.61) for the top spot in the 2021-22 world rankings, and narrowly misses her Dutch Record of 55.17 set in 2019. Toussaint’s previous-fastest this season was 55.72 from the Budapest stop.

Russia’s Daria Vaskina was a distant second in 57.94, and countrymate Elizaveta Agapitova was third in 58.27. Vaskina is 19 while Agapitova is 18 years old.

MEN’S 50 BREAST – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 25.25, Cameron van der Burgh (RSA), 2009

1. Fabian Schwingenschlogl (GER), 25.88
2. Arno Kamminga (NED), 25.95
3. Kirill Strelnikov (RUS), 26.12

After several runner-up showings, Fabian Schwingenschlogl came away with the victory in the men’s 50 breaststroke, outgunning Dutchman Arno Kamminga in a time of 25.88.

Schwingenschlogl’s showing fall .01 shy of his German Record of 25.87 set in December 2018, and is the first sub-26 swim on the World Cup circuit this year.

Kamminga, who won in Berlin and then tied for the Doha victory with Slovenia’s Peter Stevens, also cracked 26 for second in 25.95, .11 off of his Dutch Record set in December 2019 (25.84).

Finishers third through eighth were all within four-tenths of one another, led by Russians Kirill Strelnikov (26.12) and Danil Semyaninov (26.20). Stevens took seventh in 26.26.

WOMEN’S 50 FLY – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 24.38, Therese Alshammar (SWE), 2009

1. Holly Barratt (AUS), 24.75
2. Emma McKeon (AUS), 24.94
3. Arina Surkova (RUS), 25.36

33-year-old Aussie Holly Barratt ripped a new personal best time of 24.75 to win the women’s 50 butterfly over teammate Emma McKeon, finising just .06 shy of the Australian National Record set in 2009.

Barratt had set her previous best time in winning the opening stop of the circuit in Berlin, clocking 24.77 to win the event.

McKeon, who won the Budapest stop in 24.97, was the runner-up in 24.94, and Russia’s Arina Surkova (25.36) rounded out the podium.

MEN’S 100 FREE – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 44.95, Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 2018

1. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 44.84
2. Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 46.32
3. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 46.35

Kyle Chalmers is the new world record holder in the men’s 100 freestyle, having blasted a time of 44.84 in tonight’s final to erase the super-suited mark of 44.94 set by Amaury Leveaux back in 2008.

Chalmers was explosive in this performance, out more than two-tenths faster than he was in his Doha performance at the 50 in 21.40 before closing in 23.44. In Doha, when he clocked 45.03, he split 21.64/23.39.

In addition to breaking Leveaux’s world record, Chalmers also lowers Vladimir Morozov‘s World Cup Record of 44.95, set in 2018, and downs his own Commonwealth, Oceanic and Aussie marks of 45.03 from last week.

Prior to his 45.03 swim in Doha, Chalmers’ best time in the event was 45.50. On Day 1 here in Kazan, he swam the fastest 50 free of his career in 20.68.

All-Time Performances, Men’s 100 Freestyle (SCM)

1. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 44.84 – 2021
2. Amaury Leveaux (FRA), 44.94 – 2008
3. Vladimir Morozov (RUS), 44.95 – 2018
4. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 45.03 – 2021
5. Florent Manaudou (FRA), 45.04 – 2014
6. Nathan Adrian (USA) / Caeleb Dressel (USA), 45.08 – 2009/2020

Morozov was the runner-up in 46.32, out-touching fellow Russians Kliment Kolesnikov (46.35) and Vladislav Grinev (46.58).

Romanian stud David Popovici smashed his National Record of 47.62 set in the prelims in 46.77 for fifth. Popovici turned eighth at the 50 in 22.73 before storming home in 24.04, the second-fastest back-half in the field behind only Chalmers.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 1:02.36, Ruta Meilutyte (LTU)/Alia Atkinson (JAM), 2013/2016

1. Yuliya Efimova (RUS), 1:04.56
2. Vitalina Simonova (RUS), 1:04.57
3. Tatiana Belonogoff (RUS), 1:05.42

Yuliya Efimova held off fellow Russian Vitalina Simonova to edge out a second consecutive win in the women’s 100 breaststroke, producing a time of 1:04.56 to Simonova’s 1:04.57.

Efimova cruised to an easy win last week in 1:06.08, with only a few swimmers in the field, but had to really ramp things up with a full lineup here in Kazan, especially following Simonova’s 2:19 win in the 200 breast yesterday.

Efimova was out first at the 50 in 30.86, and Simonova (31.05/33.52) made up ground coming home but fell just a hundredth shy. Efimova holds the Russian Record of 1:02.91, set in 2016, while Simonova’s time marks a new personal best, improving on her 1:04.67 set in 2018.

In a field consisting of seven Russians, Tatiana Belonogoff picked up third place in 1:05.42, with Maria Temnikova fourth in 1:05.70.

MEN’S 200 FLY – FINAL

• World Cup Record: 1:48.56, Chad Le Clos (RSA), 2013

1. Tom Shields (USA), 1:52.42
2. Louis Croenen (BEL), 1:53.32
3. Egor Pavlov (RUS), 1:55.45

Tom Shields made it two straight wins in the men’s butterfly events here in Kazan, using his early speed to get out well ahead of the field in the 200 fly before hanging on in a time of 1:52.42.

Shields won this event in Budapest, but fell to Daiya Seto last week in Doha. Seto opted to race the 200 IM over the 200 fly here in Kazan.

Belgian Louis Croenen was the clear runner-up in 1:53.32, while Russian Egor Pavlov rounded out the podium in 1:55.45.

The only swimmer in the field outside of Croenen to split sub-30 on both of the back-half 50s was 17-year-old Russian Aleksandr Andreev, who had a promising fourth-place showing in 1:56.26.

Adilbek Mussin set a new Kazakhstani Record in 1:56.67 for fifth.

MIXED 4X50 FREE RELAY – TIMED FINAL

1. Novosibirskya, 1:33.73
2. Kazan, 1:34.22
3. Saint Petersburg, 1:34.66

Four Russian club teams took on the mixed 4×50 free relay, with Novosibirskya winning in 1:33.73. The team had Daniil Markov lead-off in 21.62 and also had the fastest male flying split from Aleksandr Borovtsov (21.55).

Kazan took second in 1:34.22, with a pair of sub-25 female splits, including a 24.47 anchor from Olesya Korchagina.

The fastest female leg came from Daria Mullakaeva, who anchored fourth-place Sverdlovskya in 24.26.