Oleg Kostin Becomes First Russian Man Under 23-Seconds in 50 Fly

2018 LEN EUROPEAN AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

• August 3-9, 2018 (swimming portion)
• Glasgow, Scotland
• Tollcross International Swimming Centre
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26-year old Oleg Kostin has broken the Russian Record in the men’s 50 fly on Tuesday at the 2018 European Aquatics Championships. He swam a 22.97, which makes him the first Russian ever under 23 seconds in the event, and takes out his own record of 23.14 set in April at the Russian National Championships.

After Korotyshkin, who was a star of the supersuit era, knocked a bunch of time off this record, it stood until Kostin tied it in 2017, then broke it earlier this year. He’s now .27 seconds faster than Korotyshkin’s best.

Russian Record progression, men’s 50m Butterfly:

• Evgeny Korotyshkin, 23.43 – April 16, 2009
• Evgeny Korotyshkin, 23.37 – July 26, 2009
• Evgeny Korotyshkin, 23.24 – July 26, 2009
• Oleg Kostin, 23.24 – July 1, 2017 (tied record)
• Oleg Kostin, 23.14 – April 20, 2018
• Oleg Kostin, 22.97 – August 7, 2018

The time also ties Kostin with American swimmer Caeleb Dressel for 5th in the world this year. He finished 3rd in the race behind Andriy Govorov and Ben Proud.

After only 1 swimmer went sub-23 in the 2015-2016 season, Kostin becomes the 6th to do so this year already, with still the Asian Games left to swim. The only year where more did it was 2009, where 7 went sub-23 in the now-banned polyurethane suits. Roland Schoeman was the first swimmer to go sub-23, when he did so in 2005 at 22.96.