2021 RUSSIAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, November 16th – Sunday, November 21st
- St. Petersburg, Russia
- SCM (25m)
- Qualifying competition for World Short Course Championships
- Entries/Results
- Livestream
The 2021 Russian Short Course Championships are upon us, with the six-day competition kicking off tomorrow, Tuesday, November 16th in St. Petersburg.
The meet represents the second of two qualifying competitions for this year’s FINA World Short Course Championships set for December in Abu Dhabi. Russian swimmers could also have qualified via performances at this year’s European Short Course Championships held in Kazan.
As such, several big names are missing from this meet, including Kliment Kolesnikov, Vlad Morozov, Evgeny Rylov, Ilya Borodin, Anastasia Kirpichnikovaz and Maria Kameneva, just to name a few.
However, among the notables that are racing this week includes Kirill Prigoda, the reigning Russian national record holder in the SCM 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke.
25-year-old Prigoda is indeed on the entry lists after having been absent from International Swimming League (ISL) playoffs as a member of London Roar.
Prigoda did not race at the European Short Course Championships; therefore, this competition represents his only opportunity to add his name to the Russian roster for Abu Dhabi in order to defend his 2018 world title in the 200m breaststroke.
Other high-profile Russian swimmers entered in this week’s meet include the following: Ivan Girev, Danila Izotov, Danil Markov, Sergey Fesikov, Pavel Samusenko, Grigory Tarasevich, Mikhail Vekovishchev, Alexander Nikolaev, Alexander Zhigalov, Oleg Kostin, Arina Durkova, Daria S. Ustinova, Valeria Salamatina, Veronica Andrusenko, Daria Vaskina, Daria K. Ustinomova, Yuliya Efimova, Nika Godun, Svetlana Chimrova, Anastasia Markova.
Prigoda a fake mf
He’s not on the newly updated start lists. Suspect he won’t compete anywhere this year.
So the mystery continues …
Ahhhh this has me hopeful we’ll get Prigoda back for playoff #3 and Peaty also after this week’s book signing
They only need to beat LA in one match so hopefully they can be there for at least one.
Obviously the ISL athletes’ strike did not happen, but it feels like swimmers were focusing elsewhere during the semifinals. Slow times, lots of scratches. Didn’t seem like as big of an opportunity – or commitment – as last year.
Last year not as many conflicts/meets due to pandemic. This year lots of meets to schedule around. Some swimmers would rather go to their Nationals or Euros, or World Cup or BUCS or family time or sponsors…..or hard to imagine, maybe train!?!
Only go to BUCs if Andy Manley or Ian Hume make you though.
Guess this means he won’t be in this week’s match either, hopefully he’ll be back for London’s 3rd Playoff next week or they may be in danger of missing the final
Yeah I was thinking Prigoda wouldn’t be back at all but this is kind of good news that there’s an explanation for his absence. Means he might be back for Playoff 3 and (if they make it) the final.
In theory, Roar only need to beat LA once out of 3 matches to make the final with 8 points, because Toronto are expected to get 8 and Roar beats Toronto if there’s a tie. If Roar can’t beat LA at least once then they don’t deserve to be in the final tbh so I won’t really care. It is frustrating to think that if Roar had Campbell, Peaty and Prigoda they would be an absolute threat to win the final.
Play-offs might clash with this war that the UK Defence head has threatened against Russia. Timing could be tight!