Kolesnikov Lowers Own World Junior Record In 100 Back Swim-Off

2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
• Budapest, Hungary
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After tying for 9th in the semi-finals of the men’s 100 back, China’s Li Guangyuan and Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov were set for a swim-off for 1st alternate to close the 2nd finals session from Budapest.

Kolesnikov wasn’t initially supposed to swim this race. He only qualified for the 200 back, but his teammate Evgeny Rylov ended up scratching the 100, opening a spot for him to swim.

Coming in as the junior world record holder at 53.65, a time done to win the European Junior Championships earlier this month, Kolesnikov barely snuck into the semi-finals, 16th by 0.01 in 54.51.

He was better in the semis, splitting almost identically to Li on both 50s to tie for 9th in 53.84.

In the swim-off, Li got out to the early advantage, hitting the 50 wall in 26.04, but Kolesnikov stormed home. Closing in 27.16, Kolesnikov hit the wall in 53.38, lowering his junior world record by nearly three tenths. Li touched in 53.70, as both men improved their semi times and would’ve both qualified for the final had they done their swim-off times in the semis.

Kolesnikov won’t swim the final, barring a bizarre scratch, but made good on another opportunity to swim the race registering a best time and new record. Li just missed his best of 53.61 set at Chinese Nationals this year.