2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- April 13-18, 2025
- Kazan, Russia
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- Livestream
The second night of the 2025 Russian Swimming Championships, which serves as the selection meet for the World Championships in Singapore this July, featured a loaded domestic men’s 100 backstroke field.
The race did not disappoint, with veteran Kliment Kolesnikov nabbing the win by 0.11 over Miron Lifintsev. Both swimmers posted the two fastest times in the world so far this year. Kolesnikov hit the wall in 52.04, while Lifintsev touched in 52.15, both breaking the previous world-leading mark of 52.24 set by Hubert Kos just last week at the Hungarian National Championships.
24-year-old Kolesnikov was super aggressive through the first 50, leading the field with a scorching 24.83 split, while Pavel Samusenko flipped under 25 seconds as well, at 24.92. Lifintsev had the best back half of the field, courtesy of his 26.94 final 50 clocking, but Kolesnikov was just too far ahead to be caught.
Samusenko swam a huge lifetime best of 52.40 for 3rd, but missed the top two, who achieved the World Championships selection time of 53.46. As a result, he is unlikely to make the trip to Singapore, although the final decision rests with the Presidium of the Russian Federation of Aquatic Sports.
Samusenko’s final time situates him 4th in the world standings, meaning Team Russia has 3 of the top 4 swimmers as of April 14th. He entered the meet with a best time of 53.00, then broke the barrier in last night’s semifinals with a 52.86, before obliterating it tonight with his impressive 52.40.
Current World Rankings:
- Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) — 52.04 (4/14)
- Miron Lifintsev (RUS) — 52.15 (4/14)
- Hubert Kos (HUN) – 52.24 (4/10)
- Pavel Samusenko (RUS) — 52.40 (4/14)
- Pieter Coetzee (RSA) – 52.71 (4/9)
See a full splits comparison of how the race unfolded between the top three below.
Splits Comparison:
| Kliment Kolesnikov | Miron Lifintsev | Pavel Samusenko | |
| First 50m | 24.83 | 25.21 | 24.92 |
| Second 50m | 27.21 | 26.94 | 27.48 |
| Total Time | 52.04 | 52.15 | 52.40 |
Kolesnikov won the silver medal in the 100 back at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a final time of 52.00, just 0.04 seconds quicker than his mark tonight, and it’s much earlier in the season. He owns a best time of 51.82 in this event, which stands as the current Russian record and ranks him as the #2 performer all-time, behind world record holder and Paris 2024 Olympic champion Thomas Ceccon of Italy.
When Kolesnikov set his all-time best, he opened the race in 24.83, the same as his opening split today, but closed in 26.99, compared to today’s 27.21.
Kolesnikov holds the world record in the 50 back with a time of 23.55, set at the Russian Cup in 2023. Given his early speed in the 100, keep an eye on a time around that mark when he swims it later this week.
A relative unknown to the international scene a year ago, 18-year-old Lifintsev made a big step forward in 2024. He broke the World Junior Record in the 100 back with a time of 52.08 at the Russian Swimming Cup in July, improving upon his own mark of 52.34 set at the Russian Championships a few months earlier. He also posted a 24.28 in the 50 back last year, a time that ranked 3rd globally.
Race Video:
Courtesy: SC PlayZ ROBLOX
Russia has really cracked the formula for training male backstrokers. Kolesnigoat has been missed!
Rylov?
Missed the final. 54 something. Lol.
You know how there are people who start out as bright students—smart, talented, full of potential—and then decide to use all that promise to go on TV and explain why grandpa ranting about “undesirables” and the good old days of beating people with Fasces is actually very wise and should be applauded? The kind who trade integrity for applause from the worst audience?
Rylov picked the Russian version of that instead of, you know, actually competing. It’s unfortunate. Deeply moving. I shed a single tear.
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US backstrokers better start gaming!
Pray for Ukraine 💙💛
I want the timeline where Reagan didn’t walk away from nuclear disarmerment over fantastical space lasers (no jokes here)
Seriously people pay attention it’s a small planet and your news downplaying this stuff doesn’t affect the bitter reality. The wars scope involves grandiose mercenary actions across the African continent and even the Middle East heating up is almost definitely connected (10/07 is a certain worlds leaders Bday. I’m sure that’s just happen stance because I drank bleach to get covid out of my lungs and it sure worked better then the damn microchipped vaccines!)
like clockwork when you cant beat them on merit, pull out the geopolitical card lol
The center of male backstrokers is shifting to Europe: Russians, Ceccon, Kos, and maybe Masiuk and the Brits. Not looking very good for United States of Backstroke.
#1 priority for usa swimming should be throwing all their resources in getting daniel diehl back on track
No, Diehl wants to keep swimming 400 IMs
And 200 free for some reason
Just stop letting national jr team members go to NC state
Do we really think Diehl is as talented as Murphy though? Or is he just the best next gen backstroker
to the former — potentially, he was faster as an age grouper (circle swimming and bumping onto lane lines lol).
to the latter — yes, i think he has the highest ceiling. other prospects are at texas (modglin), uva (aikins, king, amlicke), other ascendant programs (wilkening, janton) — but they all seem like they have a lower ceiling…
As a Brit who spent years casting hopeful glances at the NCAA in case our medley relay could be rescued by a mid range B finalist with a Scottish grandparent, it is strange watching the SEC 100 back champ getting beaten at British trials by a kid from the UK’s 5th or 6th best swimming university.
Europe has the Olympic champions in every stroke 100/200 except for 100 free so sounds like the center of all male swimming has shifted to Europe not just backstroke
Not only 100/200. They won in every 400/800 events too.
Ludovico Vinerti with a Shaine Casas-like swim in the B-final at the Italian Championships clocking a shiny personal best of 59.04 in the 100 Breast, Martinenghi wins the A-final in 59.16.
Why is 59 suddenly the winning time for breaststroke? Prigoda with a 59 also.
59 won Olympics too. 🙁
Would’ve been 58 if Peaty didn’t get Covid tbf
I tell you that ‘IF’ got a lot of gold medals.
Minakov 51.13 in semifinals
Goodness me they own the US
SPASIBOOOOO