Morozov Posts World’s Second Fastest Time in the 50 Freestyle on the Final Day of Russian Nationals

Vladimir Morozov and Yulia Efimova both finished the Russian National Championships with strong performances on the final day of competition.

After posting the world’s number one time in the 100 freestyle on Tuesday Morozov recorded a season’s best and the world’s number two time in the 50 freestyle winning the event in a time of 21.65. The time was the fourth fastest he has ever swum and was not far off his lifetime best of 21.47.

2014-2015 LCM Men 50 Free

2Nathan
ADRIAN
USA21.3708/07
3Caleb
DRESSEL
USA21.5308/08
4Bruno
FRATUS
BRA21.5508/08
5Vladimir
MOROZOV
RUS21.5608/08
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Andrey Grechin finished second in a time of 22.03 which ties him with Cameron McEvoy for the eighth place spot in the world rankings. Grechin’s time is also faster than the World Championships qualifying standard. Evgeny Lagunov finished third in a time of 22.32.

Yulia Efimova was impressive her win in the women’s 100 breaststroke taking the event in a time of 1:05.90. Efimova was one one-hundredth of a second off her season’s best of 1:05.89 which she posted in March and currently sits atop the world rankings.

World record holder Ruta Meilutyte is the only other woman to have broken the 1:06 mark this year posting a 1:05.99 in March.

Efimova was the only woman in the event to swim faster than the World Championships qualifying standard.

Daria Deeva collected the bronze recording a time of 1:08.33 followed by Vitalina Simon who touched in a time of 1:08.62.

Efimova also collected a silver in the women’s 200 IM finishing second to Viktoria Andreeva. Andreeva took the event with ease winning in a time of 2:12.31 more than two seconds ahead of Efimova who finished in a time of 2:14.67. Her time puts her under the World Championships qualifying standard.

Yana Martynova finished third in a time of 2:15.16.

Women’s 50 butterfly

Natalya Lovtsov took the women’s 50 butterfly in a time of 26.05 tying her for sixth place in the world rankings. Lovtsov’s improvement in the event is extraordinary and simply unheard of as her lifetime best going into the event was a 27.37. With her time she sets a new Russian national record beating Svetlana Chimrova‘s mark of 26.24 which she set last year.

Chimrova finished second in a time of 26.53 followed by Alina Kashinskaya who touched in a time of 26.72.

Women’s 100 backstroke

Daria K Ustinova was the only woman to break the one minute barrier in the women’s 100 backstroke taking the event in a time of 59.89. Ustinova’s time is under the World Championships standard and also places her sixth in the world rankings. Her lifetime best is a 59.78.

Anastasia Fesikova finished second in a time of 1:00.59 followed by Maria Kameneva who hit the wall in a time of 1:00.81.

Men’s 400 IM

Semyon Makovich and Alexander Osipenko battled for the men’s 400 IM crown with Makovich coming out on top by three tenths of a second winning the event in a time of 4:17.73. Osipenko finished second in a time of 4:18.03 followed by Alexander Tikhonov who posted a 4:21.49.

Men’s 200 freestyle

Five men finished under the 1:48 mark in the men’s 200 freestyle. Alexander Kranykh took the event in a time of 1:47.39 followed by Alexander Sukhorukov who posted a 1:47.41 and Nikita Lobintsev who hit the wall in a time of 1:47.59.

Vlacheslav Andrusenko finished fourth in a time of 1:47.80 followed by Mikhail Dovgalyuk who finished in a time of 1:47.89.

Men’s 100 butterfly

Vyacheslav Prudnikov took the men’s 100 butterfly in a time of 51.94 which places him 10th in the world rankings. Alexander Popkov finished second in a time of 52.07 followed by Evgeny Koptelov who touched in a time of 52.11.

All three men finished under the World Championships qualifying standard.

Men’s 100 breaststroke

The men’s 100 breaststroke was another tightly contested race as Ilya Khomenko took the event in a time of 1:00.53 six one-hundredths of a second ahead of Anton Lobanov who finished in a time of 1:00.59. Grigory Falko finished third touching in a time of 1:00.73.

 

Full results can be found here.

 

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Rafael
8 years ago

Cielo and manadou both already swam 21.32 after them fastest is fratus with 21.41 on sub par conditions at pan pac. If the three deliver they will grab all 3 medals and I don’t think now we may have a great favorite anymore. Gkomoleev still is not there and I think orsi and morozov best are not on par of the 3 fastest

Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

Judging by his start and his 50SCM WR, I think Manaudou is the HEAVY favourite.Cielo is always among the best, but his start is suffering big time.To beat Florent, Cielo will need his old start, but i never saw again after his knee operation and we need to accept the fact he will never have his old start again.Fratus is rising, with Auburn training fitting him very well.I will not be surprised if he defeats Cielo.

luigi
Reply to  DDias
8 years ago

I am with Dias. Manaudou right now is virtually untouchable (even though in the splash&dash it is not unusual to see upsets). But I stick to my point that behind him everything is possible – again, because this is the splash & dash. Dotto took silver behind Cielo in 2011 – and then disappeared out of sight. There are other examples.

Luigi
8 years ago

I did find a video of the race on Youtube, but SwinSwam wont let me post it. Whatever. I just noted that Morozov oddly reminds me of Janet Evans.
I am surprised nobody mentions 2 other potential medalists in the 50 free: Gkolomeev (if he is going) and Orsi. Both have the tools to enter the final. And once you are in the final, everything can happen, behind Manaudou (if he doesnt false starts or get sick).

Luigi
8 years ago

Video of the race here: http://youtu.be/lOXS34GBKJ4

He does bring to mind Janet Evans somehow … It is more evident in the 100, where he has to breath (video of the 100 here: http://youtu.be/I8OXXBUCyI8 )

Sean S
8 years ago

I wouldn’t worry too much about a few lackluster times in certain events. The Russians will be ready to go for world champs on home soil. Why go 1:45 in April if it will make it harder for you to repeat that time when it counts.

Rafael
Reply to  Sean S
8 years ago

Tell that to Izotov who did not finish in top 2..

MD
8 years ago

Video?

sprintguy
8 years ago

Where are the Russian’s that train at the ADN Project? Evgenij Korotyškin? Sergey Fesikov?

thomaslurzfan
8 years ago

Other notable results:
Womens 100 back: (1999) 1.00.81 (kameneva), (1998) 1.01.08 (dont know her name)
Mens 100 fly: (1998) 52.73 (dont know his name)
Russia dont seems to have any good talents at mens 50 free (except sedov), mens 400 IM, womens 100 breast (maybe except astashkina) or womens 200 IM.
In general russias seems to have problems at womens 400/800 free (maybe excpet openysheva: 4.09.9, born in 1999), 100/200 fly (maybe except chimrova: 58.7, born in 1996), womens 200/400 IM and mens 200/400/1500 free, 200/400 IM and 200 fly (maybe except kudashev: 1.56.3, born in 1995).

thomaslurzfan
8 years ago

Great 50 free time for morozov, i think manaudou, fratus, cielo and morozov will fight for the medals. Its really sad that sedov didnt compete, i think he couldve been as fast as 21.8 at least.

Mens 200 free is a really good event in russia, i think only australia and gb have a better depth in mens 200 free. On the other hand it will be very difficult for all the russian guys to reach the individual 200 free final. What happened with izotov? He was more than 2s slower than at 2013 wc.

Ustinovas time is great for a girl born in 1998, but i thought she would swim a new pb, because she was about 1s faster… Read more »

Rafael
Reply to  thomaslurzfan
8 years ago

JPN probably can put a faster 4×200 than Russia, same for France and US now.. unless the Russian Bounce Back on Kazan

thomaslurzfan
Reply to  Rafael
8 years ago

I was talking about DEPTH in mens 200 free this year!
France has ONE guy sub 1.48.
I agree about Japan.
Lochte, Dwyer and McLean have to repeat their fast times from last year, but i agree that USA in 2014 had a better depth in mens 200 free than russia has at the moment.
At the moment only GB, Australia and Japan have a better depth in mens 200 free, USA might join them.

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