Evgeniia Chikunova Books Her Ticket To Worlds On Day 4 Of Russian Championships

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 13-18, 2025
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Livestream

The fourth day of the 2025 Russian Swimming Championships is officially in the books. This meet serves as the sole selection opportunity for the Russian team for the World Championships in Singapore this July. Swimmers must place 1st or 2nd in the ‘A’ final and achieve a qualifying time to be considered for selection.

The team will then be formed based on the head coach’s recommendation, taking into account the athletes’ performances. The final decision will be made by the Presidium of the Russian Federation of Aquatic Sports.

Finals of the women’s 100 breaststroke, men’s 50 backstroke, women’s 50 butterfly, men’s 200 breaststroke, men’s 50 freestyle, women’s 400 freestyle, and women’s 200 IM were contested in Kazan tonight.

Semifinals of the women’s 100 backstroke and men’s 50 butterfly also line-up behind the blocks to create an action-packed session from start to finish.

In the final of the men’s 50 back, Kliment Kolesnikov took the win in 23.90, followed by Pavel Samusenko (24.01) and Miron Lifintsev (24.51). Kolesnikov, the world record holder in the event thanks to his 23.55 from the 2023 Russian Cup, now moves to the top of the world rankings in both sprint backstroke events—having also posted a 52.04 in the 100 back earlier this week.

Samusenko’s 24.01 now ranks him as the second-fastest man in the world this season. It also marks his third-straight personal best in the event over the past two days, improving from 24.26 in the heats and 24.25 in the semis.

Both men comfortably cleared the 24.95 qualifying standard required by Russian selectors for consideration to swim the event in Singapore this July.

Current World Rankings:

1. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) — 23.90 (4/16)*
2. Pavel Samusenko (RUS) — 24.01 (4/16)*
3. Shaine Casas (USA) – 24.23 (3/6)
4. Miron Lifintsev (RUS) – 24.40 (4/15)
5. Ji-hwan Yoon (KOR) – 24.48 (3/27)

17-year-old Maria Osetrova continued her breakout meet by lowering the Russian Youth Record in the 50 fly again. She first broke the mark in yesterday’s semis with a 25.81, surpassing Darya Klepikova’s 2021 standard of 25.98, and then dropped it further in today’s final with a 25.79 to take the win.

Finishing just behind was Arina Surkova in 25.84—Russia’s national record holder in the event with a 25.30 from this same meet in 2023. Both swimmers comfortably cleared the 25.98 qualifying time required for Worlds.

In the A Final of the men’s 200 breast, 29-year-old Kirill Prigoda claimed victory with a time of 2:08.55, while Alexander Zhigalov finished 2nd in 2:09.21. Both swimmers cleared the selection time of 2:10.32, securing their spots for further consideration.

Prigoda, who won the 100 breast earlier in the meet with a time of 59.40, doubled up on victories and now has the opportunity to sweep all three breast events if he wins the 50 later this week. His best time in the 200 is 2:07.47, set at this same competition in 2023.

23-year-old Zhigalov notched a personal best of 2:09.21, shattering his previous mark of 2:10.07 from 2021 and likely securing his spot in Singapore.

In the semifinals of the women’s 100 back, only one swimmer dipped under the 1:01 barrier—Alina Gaifutdinova, who led the field with a 1:00.57. She’ll likely have her sights set on the World Championships qualifying standard of 59.89 in tomorrow’s final—and with a personal best of 59.87, it’s certainly within reach.

In the women’s 100 breast final, Evgeniia Chikunova touched 1st with a time of 1:06.13, getting under the 1:06.69 Worlds qualifying cut. Veteran Yulia Efimova was just off the mark, finishing 2nd with 1:06.88, missing by just 0.19.

Efimova holds the Russian record for the event with a time of 1:04.36, set in 2017, while Chikunova, the 2nd-fastest Russian of all time, has a personal best of 1:04.92. On Monday, Chikunova won the 50 breast in 30.72, just ahead of Efimova’s 30.83.

Efimova’s last remaining chance to qualify for Worlds will be in the 200 breast, which is scheduled for Friday. Chikunova holds the world record in that event with her otherworldly 2:17.55 from this meet two years ago.

Sofya Dyakova dominated the women’s 400 free final, winning by over three seconds with a time of 4:06.50, well under the Singapore qualifying standard of 4:08.67. She split 2:01.14 over the first 200 and came home in 2:05.36 on the back half.

Earlier in the meet, Dyakova also won the women’s 800 free in 8:24.93, finishing well under the 8:31.72 qualifying mark.

The women’s 200 IM final was a nail-biter, with Anastasia Sorokina edging out Irina Zvyagintseva by just 0.03. Sorokina hit the wall in 2:13.14, while Zvyagintseva finished 2nd at 2:13.17. Both swimmers were well off the 2:11.26 qualifying standard for the World Championships.

Zvyaginsteva dominated the women’s 400 IM on day one, winning by over five seconds with a time of 4:42.52, just narrowly missing the World Championship qualifying standard of 4:41.87.