Ivan Kozhakin Downs Russian 50 Breast Record With World-Leading 26.46 In Kazan

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

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

The 2025 Russian Swimming Championships continued today in Kazan, Russia, serving as the sole qualifying opportunity for swimmers aiming to compete at the World Championships in Singapore this July. The men’s 50m breaststroke semifinal was a big highlight, where Ivan Kozhakin set a new national record.

28-year-old Kozhakin touched the wall in 26.46, securing the top spot for tomorrow’s final. This time was well under the Russian World Championships qualifying mark of 27.23 and broke the previous national record of 26.66, set by Andrey Nikolaev at the 2022 edition of these championships.

Prior to today’s swim, Kozhakin’s lifetime best was 26.76, set in July 2024 at the Russian Cup. His performance today improves upon his #2 world ranking of 26.83 from February 20th and moves him ahead of Australian 2024 World Champion Samuel Williamson’s world-leading mark of 26.66.

Current World Rankings:

1. Ivan Kozhakin (RUS) – 26.46 (4/17)* 
2. Samuel Williamson (AUS) – 26.66 (02/14)
3. Sun Jiajun (CHN) – 26.83 (03/19)
4. Michael Houlie (RSA) – 26.85 (04/12)
5. Mikel Schreuders (ARU) – 27.08 (03/07)

While several top contenders—such as Qin Haiyang and Williamson, who posted his 26.66 at an in-season meet—have yet to race at their respective Trials, Kozhakin’s time tonight still would have medaled at every World Championships to date. His 26.46 would have earned bronze at the 2024 Doha Worlds, where 26.49 took 3rd, and silver in both 2022 and 2023, when 26.48 and 26.59 were the silver-medal times.

Kozhakin’s performance tonight also places him 9th on the all-time performers list, officially knocking former world record holder and 2012 Olympic 100m breaststroke champion Cameron van der Burgh out of the top 10.

Top 10 Men’s 50 Breaststroke Performers All-Time:

1. Adam Peaty (GBR) – 25.95, 2017
2. Qin Haiyang (CHN) – 26.20, 2023
3. Ilya Shymanovich (BLR) – 26.28, 2023
4. Samuel Williamson (AUS) – 26.32, 2024
5. Felipe Lima (BRA) – 26.33, 2019 & Nicolo Martinenghi (ITA) – 26.33, 2022
6. N/A
7. Joao Gomes Junior (BRA) – 26.42 2019
8. Nic Fink (USA) – 26.45, 2022
9. Ivan Kozhakin (RUS) — 26.46, 2025*
10. Michael Andrew (USA) – 26.52, 2022
11. Cameron Van Der Burgh (RSA) – 26.54, 2017

Kozhakin’s swim was also a strong bounceback after a disappointing result in the 100 breast final earlier in the meet, where he finished 3rd in 1:00.14—over a second off his personal best of 59.04 from 2023. Kozhakin entered the race as the defending champion but was unable to find his groove. Kirill Prigoda took the win in 59.40, followed by Danil Semyaninov in 59.65, with both swimmers finishing under the World Championship consideration standard of 59.69.

Prigoda was the only other swimmer besides Kozhakin to break 27 seconds in tonight’s 50 semifinals, clocking a time of 26.98.