Alexander Kudashev Brings Russian Olympic Roster To 18 On Day 4 In Kazan

2021 RUSSIAN NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

After seven new swimmers qualified for the Russian Olympic team on Monday, Tuesday’s action only yielded one new name to the roster: Alexander Kudashev.

After a fourth-place finish at the 2016 Trials, where he finished three seconds off his best time in the final, Kudashev won the men’s 200 butterfly tonight in a time of 1:55.48, lowering his previous best of 1:55.63 and getting well under the FINA ‘A’ standard of 1:56.48.

Kudashev set that previous best time at the 2019 World University Games, where he won gold, and has also represented Russia at the 2015 LC World Championships, but this is his first Olympic berth.

The only other Olympic-qualifying swim in a final on Day 4 came from Anastasia Kirpichnikova in the women’s 1500 freestyle, as the 20-year-old won by nearly 40 seconds in 15:58.98. Kirpichnikova set the National Record of 15:53.18 in December, becoming the first Russian sub-16:00.

This adds a second event to her Olympic lineup after she qualified in the 400 free on Day 2.

Both the women’s 200 free and 200 IM finals saw the winners fall shy of the FINA ‘A’ cut, though its possible someone like Veronika Andrusenko, who won that 200 free, could be added to the team later for relay purposes.

The Russian Olympic roster now stands at 18 swimmers with three days of competition remaining.

RUSSIAN OLYMPIC ROSTER (THRU DAY 4)

Men Event(s) Women Event(s)
Ilya Borodin 400 IM Arina Surkova 100 butterfly
Maxim Stupin 400 IM Svetlana Chimrova 100 butterfly
Martin Malyutin 200/400 freestyle Anna Egorova 400 freestyle
Alexander Egorov 400 freestyle Anastasia Kirpichnikova 400/1500 freestyle
Kirill Prigoda 100 breaststroke Maria Kameneva 100 backstroke
Anton Chupkov 100 breaststroke Anastasia Fesikova 100 backstroke
Ivan Girev 200 freestyle Evgeniia Chikunova 100 breaststroke
Evgeny Rylov 100 backstroke Yuliya Efimova 100 breaststroke
Kliment Kolesnikov 100 backstroke
Alexander Kudashev 200 butterfly

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Troyy
3 years ago

‘Murica!

AnEn
3 years ago

Russia could medal in the following events:
Women’s 50 free (small chance)
Women’s 100 breast (possibly two medals)
Women’s 200 breast (possibly two medals)
Men’s 100 free
Men’s 200 free
Men’s 100 back (possibly two medals)
Men’s 200 back (possibly two medals)
Men’s 100 fly
Men’s 200 breast
Men’s 400 IM (small chance)
Men’s 400 free relay
Men’s 800 free relay
Men’s medley relay
Mixed medley relay

KnifeSmile
Reply to  AnEn
3 years ago

Women’s 1500 free too. Kirpichnikova is progressing a lot.

AnEn
Reply to  KnifeSmile
3 years ago

Would be a huge surprise for me. I see no realistic chance for her to beat Ledecky, Quadarella or Köhler. I would give the chinese girls a better chance to medal.

Rafael
3 years ago

Poor Minakov.. WJR holder of 100 free and is a strong podium contender on 100 fly.. but who am I to tell???

Khachaturian
3 years ago

1:53 gets a bronze

AnEn
Reply to  Khachaturian
3 years ago

There is a very good chance. I think the only event where 1:53 wasn’t enough for bronze was the 2008 olympics, where it took 1:52.97 to win bronze. At the 2012 olympics it took 1:53.21 to win bronze, at the 2016 olympics it took 1:53.62 to win bronze and at the last two worlds it took 1:54.15 (2019)/1:54.21 (2017) to win bronze. If the trend from the last two olympics and the last two worlds continues, 1:53 high/1:54 low might be enough for bronze.

Arnold
Reply to  AnEn
3 years ago

I think you’re right, it makes sense when you look at the timetable of Bronze at the olympics but i think unlike 2016 there will be multiple 1.52’s or 1.53’s. I think that most of the world champs most of the swimmers that attend to olympics didn’t attend. So it might be on one tenths of a second race in 1.53’s if you ask me.

Arnold
Reply to  Arnold
3 years ago

And btw any idea why Kliment didn’t attend to 200 back?

Brownish
Reply to  Arnold
3 years ago

100 free.

swimmerfromcali
3 years ago

Yeah, the WJR holder in the 400im is really weak in the IMs.

X Glide
3 years ago

Yeah Rylov and Kolesnikov are pretty weak backstrokers tbh

Rafael
Reply to  X Glide
3 years ago

yeah… Poor rylov.. can only go for double gold and also 3 more gold medals on the men side relays if he swim prelims of the 4×200 and 4×100 free..

Rafael
Reply to  X Glide
3 years ago

Mike is right.. Rylov just like won every major 200 back after Rio and also had the fastest time in the world after Rio.. but hey.. he is weak on back

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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