Morozov One of Three New Olympic Qualifiers On Final Day In Kazan

2021 RUSSIAN NATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Russian Olympic swimming team grew to 25 members on the final day in Kazan, with Vladimir Morozov headlining the trio of swimmers that officially qualified on Friday.

Morozov, who placed fourth in the 100 freestyle, secured a third Olympic berth by winning the men’s 50 free in a time of 21.41, his second-fastest swim ever and the #1 clocking in the world this season.

The 28-year-old attended both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Games, including winning a bronze medal in the men’s 400 freestyle relay in London.

Qualifying for their first Olympic team on the day was 22-year-old Mikhail Vekovishchev, who took second in the men’s 100 butterfly, and 18-year-old Kirill Martynychev, who claimed second in the men’s 1500 freestyle.

In the men’s 50 free, Kliment Kolesnikov and Ilya Shevchenko tied for second place in a time of 22.01, exactly on the FINA ‘A’ standard. The Russian qualifying procedure states that if two swimmers tie for second and third and are under the cut, the Olympic spot goes to the swimmer with the faster semi-final. In this case that goes to Kolesnikov, who was .01 faster in the semis (22.17).

That gives Kolesnikov three individual events for the Games, unless he were to defer the 50 free slot to Shevchenko.

Also Adding Events To Their Olympic Program On Day 7:

  • Alexander Egorov won the men’s 1500 freestyle to add it to the 400 and 800 free.
  • Andrei Minakov placed first in the men’s 100 fly to add it to the 100 free.
  • Maria Kameneva claimed the women’s 50 free, setting a new National Record, to add a third event to her Olympic lineup, having also won the 100 free and 100 back.
  • Arina Surkova placed second to Kameneva in the 50 free to add that race to her Tokyo schedule after winning the 100 fly earlier.
  • Anna Egorova won the women’s 800 free, giving her two Olympic events after winning the 400 free earlier.
  • Anastasia Kirpichnikova was the runner-up to Egorova, and will now tackle the 400/800/1500 triple in Tokyo.

RUSSIAN OLYMPIC ROSTER (UNOFFICIAL)

While these are all of the athletes officially qualified to compete in Tokyo, the Russian Swimming Federation could add up to two men and two women for relay-only purposes.

The names likely to be considered on the men’s side would be Vladislav Grinev (third in the 100 free) and Alexander Shchegolev (third in the 200 free), while the women could opt to add Veronika Andrusenko and Anastasia Guzhenkova, who took first and second in the 200 free but failed to meet the ‘A’ cut. Elizaveta Klevanovich would also be in the mix after taking third behind Kameneva and Surkova in the 100 free.

Men Event(s) Women Event(s)
Ilya Borodin 200/400 IM Arina Surkova 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly
Maxim Stupin 400 IM Svetlana Chimrova 100 butterfly
Martin Malyutin 200/400 freestyle Anna Egorova 400/800 freestyle
Alexander Egorov 400/800/1500 freestyle Anastasia Kirpichnikova 400/800/1500 freestyle
Kirill Prigoda 100/200 breaststroke Maria Kameneva 50/100 freestyle, 100 backstroke
Anton Chupkov 100/200 breaststroke Anastasia Fesikova 100 backstroke
Ivan Girev 200 freestyle Evgeniia Chikunova 100/200 breaststroke
Evgeny Rylov 100/200 backstroke Yuliya Efimova 100 breaststroke
Kliment Kolesnikov 50/100 freestyle, 100 backstroke Maria Temnikova 200 breaststroke
Alexander Kudashev 200 butterfly
Ilya Druzhinin 800 freestyle
Andrei Minakov 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly
Andrey Zhilkin 200 IM
Mikhail Vekovishchev 100 butterfly
Vladimir Morozov 50 freestyle
Kirill Martynychev 1500 freestyle

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USA 4x100 Medley Gold Medel 2021
3 years ago

Horray Vlad!!!

iceman
3 years ago

Women’s free relays look like an extremely difficult problem to solve. I think having 2 relay only swimmers will not fill the gaps sufficiently.
They need at least 2 for the 4×200, supposing that both Egorova and Kirpichnikova will swim it, despite already having (especially Kirpichnikova) a gruelling schedule.
Then, they need 2 more for 4×100 (Kameneva and Surkova the other two) or one more if lacking other solutions, they put Chimrova in.
All that said, in total they need 3 or 4 relay only swimmers. This means at least one of the two that will be chosen, if not both of them, will have to race both relays. From the three swimmers mentioned in the article,… Read more »

MIKE_IN_DALLAS
3 years ago

After doing some counting, I think I’ll answer my own question: on the men’s side, both the 200 fly and 200 back only have 1 Olympic Russian swimmer going to Tokyo according to the unofficial list above. On the women’s side, I just stopped counting: it’s very large.
A few observations:

  1. Russia is a country of 145,000,000 million people — yet these results seem awfully weak;
  2. According to the NYTimes, the Covid rates of infection, etc. in Russia are among the lowest in the world;
  3. Has the “clean sport” ethos finally caught up with the post-Sochii Olympics world in Russia?
  4. Where is the depth — on both sides? Sure, Rylov, Kolesnikov, Prigoda, Minakov are contenders – but then where?
Svird
Reply to  MIKE_IN_DALLAS
3 years ago

Wtf?

MIKE_IN_DALLAS
Reply to  Svird
3 years ago

Lovely comment – rational, thoughtful, and well argued. . . . .

Chalmers > Dressel
Reply to  MIKE_IN_DALLAS
3 years ago

contenders: efimova, chikunova, morozov, girev, men’s relay, kameneva and Anton FREAKING Chupkov my brother

MIKE_IN_DALLAS
Reply to  Chalmers > Dressel
3 years ago

. . .And they will still find few places on the podium. . . .

JCO
Reply to  MIKE_IN_DALLAS
3 years ago

Woah Russia’s population is 145 trillion people?

MIKE_IN_DALLAS
Reply to  JCO
3 years ago

Math – my strong topic – thanks for the catch: pop. Russia 145,000, 000 + Snowden

seetheworldswim
Reply to  MIKE_IN_DALLAS
3 years ago

This is one of the strongest team of Russia like from ever. More depth than in Rio or London.

MIKE IN DALLAS
Reply to  seetheworldswim
3 years ago

WADA may have something to say about how ‘strong’ they are.

STRAIGHTBLACKLINE
Reply to  MIKE_IN_DALLAS
3 years ago

All three men’s relays for a start.

Rafael
3 years ago

Off Topic:

Schoenmaker 2:20:17 200 breast…

KnifeSmile
Reply to  Rafael
3 years ago

wow! what a time!

MIKE_IN_DALLAS
Reply to  Rafael
3 years ago

Yes, way off topic

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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