The 2017 Energy Standard Cup brought out some of Europe’s best youth swimmers in an age-bracketed competition in Italy over the weekend. Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov showed his versatility, winning 5 different events.
Swimming for the host Energy Standard Club, Kolesnikov swept the backstrokes while also showing off his prowess in sprint freestyle and IM. Kolesnikov, the junior world record-holder in the 50, 100 and 200 back, won each of those three events with ease. His 25.13 in the 50 back was probably the best swim of the weekend, coming within two tenths of his own junior world mark. He was also 54.59 to win the 100 (about a second off the junior world record) and 1:58.81 to take the 200 (three seconds away).
Kolesnikov also went 2:00.27 to win the 200 IM, a very solid swim for the 16-year-old backstroker. His 22.57 in the 50 free accounted for his fourth win, with the IM capping him at five for the week.
Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi was also competing, and put up some big breaststroke swims. Most notably, he was 27.33 to win the 50 breast, coming within a hundredth of his former junior European record. Martinenghi recently reset the record while breaking the junior world record in a 26.97 swim at Italian nationals. Martinenghi also won hte 100 breast in 1:00.89, a second and a half off his junior world record.
A few other Russians sparkled. Egor Kuimov was 52.50 to win the 100 fly. And in the women’s race, Polina Egorova was 59.89 for a dominating win.
The meet featured two classes for each event: Youth and Juniors. The Youth division featured girls born in 2002 and 2003, and the Junior class for girls was 2000 and 2001. For boys, the age groups were skewed one year older, with 2001- and 2002-born boys in Youth and 1999 and 2000 competing in Junior.
Italy’s Guilia Salin, born 2002, was the standout of the youth class. She won the 800 free in 8:44.58 and also the 400 free in 4:14.88. Her 800 time was just two seconds off the winning youth boys time.
Considering he went 1:55.4 in the 200 back at Russian nationals the other month I’m interested to see what he could swim in a tapered 200 IM.
Well, he is very good in fly too: 25.32 at 50 metres mark.
And I believe he went 49 in the 100 free last month. And he has over a year and a half left as a junior. I wonder how many more WJR he could get (some of them have improved a lot recently) and how much further he can push the backstroke records.
He is 16 (born 9.7.2000).
Wow, he is an impressive swimmer despite the lacks of muscles.
194cm/78kg
He was born in 2000, he is not 18 yet