Evgeny Rylov Lowers Own European, Russian 200 Back Records In 1:53.23

2021 RUSSIAN NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 3-9, 2021
• Palace of Water Sports, Kazan, Russia
• Prelims: 9:00 am local/2:00 am Eastern, Finals: 6:00 pm local/11:00 am Eastern
• LCM (50m)
• Russian Olympic Qualification Procedures
• Meet Central
• Start Lists/Results
• Live Stream (YouTube channel)

Evgeny Rylov rocketed to a new European and Russian Record in the men’s 200 backstroke final on the penultimate day of the 2021 Russian Olympic Trials, clocking a time of 1:53.23.

The reigning two-time world champion in the event, Rylov’s swim breaks his previous Continental and European Record of 1:53.36 set at the 2018 European Championships, and also registers as the seventh-fastest swim in history.

All-Time Performances, Men’s 200 Back (LCM)

1. Aaron Peirsol (USA), 1:51.92 – 2009
2. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:52.51 – 2009
3. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:52.86 – 2009
4. Ryan Lochte (USA), 1:52.96 – 2011
5. Aaron Peirsol (USA), 1:53.08 – 2009
6. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 1:53.17 – 2015
7. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:53.23 – 2021
8. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:53.26 – 2014
9. Mitch Larkin (AUS), 1:53.34  – 2015
10. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:53.36 – 2018

Rylov maintains his spot as the fifth-fastest swimmer ever, but overtakes Ryosuke Irie to become the third-fastest ever in a textile suit.

All-Time Performers, Men’s 200 Back (LCM)

1. Aaron Peirsol (USA), 1:51.92 – 2009
2. Ryosuke Irie (JPN), 1:52.51 – 2009
3. Ryan Lochte (USA), 1:52.96 – 2011
4. Mitch Larkin (USA), 1:53.17 – 2015
5. Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 1:53.23 – 2021

Split Comparison

Compared to his 2018 record, Rylov wasn’t quite as aggressive on the front-half here, but closed much better, specifically on the third 50.

Rylov has now been sub-1:54 on seven different occasions, with the first time coming at the 2016 Olympics where he won the bronze medal.

• 1:53.97, 2016 Olympic Games
• 1:53.81, 2017 Russian Championships
• 1:53.61, 2017 World Championships
• 1:53.71, 2018 Russian Championships
• 1:53.36, 2018 European Championships
• 1:53.40, 2019 World Championships
• 1:53.23, 2021 Russian Olympic Trials

In the world this season, the Russian rockets to the top spot by over two seconds, with China’s Xu Jiayu the next-fastest at 1:55.26.

Earlier in the meet, Rylov won the 100 back in a time of 52.12, in what is believed to be an official Russian Record, though it falls shy of his 51.97 lead-off from the mixed medley relay in 2019.