Moldovan Alexei Sancov Breaks World Junior Record in 200 Free

2017 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

A new swimming power is emerging in Eastern Europe in the landlocked nation of Moldova. 18-year old Alexei Sancov has broken the World Junior Record in the 200 meter free, and in the process crushed his own National Senior Record in the same event.

Swimming in the final on Sunday at the European Junior Championships, Sancov swam a 1:47.00 in the long course event. That breaks the official World Junior Record in the event, which currently stands at a 1:47.10 by American Maxime Rooney. Rooney did his swim at the 2015 US National Championships.

The swim, of course, is not the fastest ever done by a junior swimming – rather it’s the fastest time done since the records were established in 2014. The European Junior Championships Meet Record is a 1:46.58 done by Frenchman Yannick Agnel in 2010. Russian Danila Izotov, in 2009, swam a 1:43.90 in the 200 free in 2009 at an age where he would have been eligible for the World Junior Record if they were recognized at the time. That swim by Izotov was the best of his career and is LEN’s benchmark time before they’ll recognize a new European Junior Record in the event.

Sancov’s previous best was a 1:48.54 from last year’s European Junior Championships.

Comparative splits:

  • Sancov ’17: 25.22 – 27.42 – 27.12 – 27.24 = 1:47.00 (New WJR)
  • Rooney ’15: 24.83 – 27.14 – 27.49 – 27.64 = 1:47.10 (Old WJR)
  • Agnel ’10: 25.38 – 27.35 – 27.28 – 26.57 = 1:46.58 (Current Meet Record)
  • Izotov ’09: 24.78 – 26.34 – 26.46 – 26.32 = 1:43.90 (Faster Junior Time)

This swim is Sancov’s second medal of the meet – he also took silver in the 100 free in 49.01. Moldova had never won a medal, men’s or women’s, at the European Junior Championships prior to this year, but now have 4 – 2 bronze on the women’s side, plus Sancov’s two.

 

 

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frederic robin
7 years ago

question. how can the CR not be the EJ record?

swimmer
Reply to  Braden Keith
7 years ago

I think he means that the CR is faster than the EJR. Angel swam 1.46 in 2012 while the Junior records are recognized only from 2014.

G.I.N.A
7 years ago

Anyhow nice to see Alexia move up the ranks . Not many from Moldova before him .

Klorn8d
7 years ago

Isotov went 1:43 at 18??? That’s incredible, I know it was in a super suit but still that’s hauling

RETTA
Reply to  Klorn8d
7 years ago

I hadn’t realized he was that fast either!

Swimmer?
Reply to  Klorn8d
7 years ago

Never would have broken 1:45 in that race without it. Maybe not even 1:46. It was fast, but come on, he could not do anywhere near that time textile in 2009.

Winnie Pearl
Reply to  Klorn8d
7 years ago

Swimmer? you are definitely that we would not have done near that time, especially considering he has not swam that close to since. However, look at the race, he was only a leg suit and not a full body suit, so he definitely did not get the same advantage that many super suit wearers got.

Swimmer?
Reply to  Winnie Pearl
7 years ago

It is still worth a 1:45 mid in today’s suits.

Swimmer?
7 years ago

We all know Thorpe is the true Jr wr holder.

Dan
Reply to  Swimmer?
7 years ago

What was his time?

Brownie
Reply to  Dan
7 years ago

1:44.0

Brownie
Reply to  Brownie
7 years ago

So really it is Izotov

Swimmer?
Reply to  Brownie
7 years ago

He was using a super suit. Might as well include someone who used steroids.

Spaceman
Reply to  Swimmer?
7 years ago

And Thorpe didn’t use an even more covering supersuit?

Swimmer?
Reply to  Spaceman
7 years ago

Thorpe had a killer suit, better than today’s suits, but inferior to even a lzr, and the lzrs were way inferior to the later arena glides and jaked types of suits.

Swimmer?
Reply to  Dan
7 years ago

1:45.37 at the 2000 OG when Thorpe was 17.

G.I.N.A.
Reply to  Swimmer?
7 years ago

just 18 ( Thorpe has early Oct birthday ) . This is a birthdate that works well for summer sports in Aust – kids tend to get lots of sporting equipment for birthdays & they can go straight out to use it whereas most others have to wait for xmas . 10weeks advantage every year adds up.

Swimmer?
Reply to  G.I.N.A.
7 years ago

He swam the 200 free 1:45.37 in September

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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