Egor Kornev Continues Record Assault With 46.96 100 Free, Tying Dressel For #6 All-Time

2026 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Egor Kornev has been absolutely electric at the Russian Swimming Championships, rewriting the national record books with some of the fastest performances in history.

The 22-year-old continued his red-hot run on Thursday, unleashing a time of 46.96 in the final of the men’s 100 freestyle to lower his day-old Russian Record by three one-hundredths and move into a tie for sixth all-time alongside Caeleb Dressel.

During the semi-finals on Wednesday, Kornev fired off a time of 46.99 in the 100 free, shattering Kliment Kolesnikov‘s Russian Record of 47.11 from the Tokyo Olympics and becoming the seventh man in history under 47 seconds.

In terms of splitting, Kornev was out faster in the final, flipping in 22.37 compared to 22.51 in the semis, but came home just over a tenth slower in 24.59.

Split Comparison

Kolesnikov, 2021 Kornev, 2026 (Semis) Kornev, 2026 (Final)
22.52 22.51 22.37
47.11 (24.59) 46.99 (24.48) 46.96 (24.59)

Kornev slots up alongside Dressel as the sixth-fastest performer ever, and his swim on Thursday also ties Dressel for the 13th-fastest performance ever.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 100 Freestyle (LCM)

  1. Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.40 – 2024 Olympic Games
  2. David Popovici(ROU), 46.51 – 2025 World Championships
  3. Jack Alexy (USA), 46.81 – 2025 World Championships
  4. Cesar Cielo (BRA), 46.91 – 2009 World Championships
  5. Alain Bernard (FRA), 46.94 – 2009 French Nationals
  6. Caeleb Dressel (USA) / Egor Kornev (RUS), 46.96 – 2019 World Championships / 2026 Russian Championships
  7. Cameron McEvoy (AUS), 47.04 – 2016 Australian Olympic Trials
  8. Eamon Sullivan (AUS), 47.05 – 2008 Olympic Games
  9. Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 47.08 – 2021 Olympic Games

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

  1. Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.40 – 2024 Olympic Games
  2. David Popovici(ROU), 46.51 – 2025 World Championships
  3. David Popovici (ROU) — 46.71 – 2025 U23 European Championships
  4. Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.80 – 2024 World Championships
  5. Jack Alexy (USA), 46.81 – 2025 World Championships
  6. David Popovici(ROU), 46.84 – 2025 World Championships
  7. David Popovici(ROU), 46.86 – 2022 European Championships
  8. David Popovici(ROU), 46.88 – 2024 European Championships
  9. Cesar Cielo (BRA), 46.91 – 2009 World Championships
  10. Pan Zhanle (CHN) / Jack Alexy (USA), 46.92 – 2024 Olympics / 2025 World Championships
  11. Alain Bernard (FRA), 46.94 – 2009 French Nationals
  12. Caeleb Dressel (USA) / Egor Kornev (RUS), 46.96 – 2019 World Championships / 2026 Russian Championships
  13. Pan Zhanle (CHN) / Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.97 – 2023 Asian Games 2024 Chinese Nationals
  14. David Popovici (ROU), 46.98 – 2022 European Championships
  15. Jack Alexy (USA) / Egor Kornev (RUS), 46.99 – 2025 U.S. Nationals / 2026 Russian Championships
  16. Caeleb Dressel (USA), 47.02 – 2021 Olympic Games

Due to the dominance of Pan Zhanle and David Popovici over the last few years, along with some standout swims from Americans Jack Alexy and Caeleb Dressel, Kornev’s 46.96 swim only ranks two spots higher, tied for 11th, in the all-time textile list compared to the overall list where he’s tied for 13th.

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

  1. Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.40 – 2024 Olympic Games
  2. David Popovici (ROU), 46.51 – 2025 World Championships
  3. David Popovici (ROU) — 46.71 – 2025 U23 European Championships
  4. Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.80 – 2024 World Championships
  5. Jack Alexy (USA), 46.81 – 2025 World Championships
  6. David Popovici (ROU), 46.84 – 2025 World Championships
  7. David Popovici (ROU), 46.86 – 2022 European Championships
  8. David Popovici (ROU), 46.88 – 2024 European Championships
  9. Pan Zhanle (CHN) / Jack Alexy (USA), 46.92 – 2024 Olympics / 2025 World Championships
  10. Caeleb Dressel (USA) / Egor Kornev (RUS), 46.96 – 2019 World Championships / 2026 Russian Championships
  11. Pan Zhanle (CHN) / Pan Zhanle (CHN), 46.97 – 2023 Asian Games 2024 Chinese Nationals
  12. David Popovici (ROU), 46.98 – 2022 European Championships

In the 2025-26 world rankings, Kornev further distances himself from the rest of the field, now sitting 42 one-hundredths clear of #2 Chris Guiliano. Also competing in Thursday’s final, Ivan Girev put up a time of 47.63 to rank 11th in the world this season.

2025-2026 LCM Men 100 FREE

EgorRUS
KORNEV
06/11
46.96
2Chris
Guiliano
USA47.3803/04
3Kim
Youngbeom
KOR47.3910/22
4Jack
Alexy
USA47.4012/06
5Brooks
CURRY
USA47.5104/11
6David
POPOVICI
ROU47.5204/25
7Matthew
RICHARDS
GBR47.5304/16
8Kyle
CHALMERS
AUS47.5906/11
9Giulherme
CARIBE
BRA47.6005/20
10Hwang
Sunwoo
KOR47.6210/21
11Ivan
Girev
RUS47.6306/11
View Top 26»

Later on in Thursday night’s finals session, Kornev won the men’s 50 fly in a time of 22.79, two-tenths shy of the 22.59 Russian Record he set in the semis.

Earlier in the meet, Kornev broke the Russian Record in the semis of the 50 free in 21.12, and then re-lowered that mark to 21.06 in the final, jumping to #5 all-time in the event.

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28 Comments
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small bird
2 minutes ago

he’s got nothin on gkolomeev

John26
16 minutes ago

Shiny new thing, and the speed per stroke count is new, but from what we know thus far Popovici still clearly has a higher ceiling (especially if you consider frame size). If we’re asking ourselves who’s more likely to push the event incrementally past 46.4, Popovici is still the much better bet

PhillyMark
18 minutes ago

Braden, similar to NFL scorigami….you should create a Swimming Time-Agami for the 100 free.
Curious which would be completed 1st….47.0’s, 46.9’s or 46.8’s.
Neither of these times from Kornev would be a Time-Agami unfortunately.

I miss the ISL (go dawgs)
36 minutes ago

His freestyle is just so strong and graceful. It’s beautiful to watch.

Last edited 35 minutes ago by I miss the ISL (go dawgs)
wild
54 minutes ago

46 mid incoming at Euros

MigBike
1 hour ago

Hope he will sign with Tennessee and become and NCAA GOD!

wild
Reply to  MigBike
54 minutes ago

I think he’s fine doing what he’s doing now

Italian Fan
1 hour ago

In Singapore last year, Kornev flipped at almost exactly the same time as today (btw he was first at the turn), but came back waaaay slower. In the end, he clocked a 47.5. That’s impressive progress in terms of back-end speed and it does make one wonder what his time in the 100 fly would be today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yypeQ1Lq8h4

dan
1 hour ago

monster

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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