Russia Sends Most of Dominant Euro Juniors Roster to World Juniors

Russia has announced a roster of 13 boys and 13 girls for the 2013 FINA World Junior Championships that begin next week in Dubai and run from August 26th-31st.

This team will largely be built of the same swimmers who dominated the European Junior Championships in early July to the tune of 32 medals (22 golds).

Both Daria Ustinova’s will be present, including the one from Sverdlovsk who finaled at the 2013 World Championships in the 200 backstroke. The entirety of the women’s relays will be at this meet as well: they swept and broke Championship Records in all three events at Euro Juniors, led by Maria Baklakova, winner of the 100 (54.78) and 200 (1:58.21) freestyles, and Rozaliya Nasretdniova, who was a 25.05 to win the 50.

The men’s team will be largely the same as well, including Evgeny Sedov, the Russian Junior National Record holder in the 50 free and one of the best junior sprinters in history who awaits a showdown with American Caeleb Dressel; and Semen Makovich, who swept the IM’s at Euro Juniors in 1:59.9 and 4:14.6. Also on the roster is backstroker Grigory Tarasevich, who is preparing for his freshman season at Louisville in the United States. He won the 50 and 100 backstroke European Junior titles and took silver in the 200.

Other Russians with American ties include women’s backstroker Julia Larina, who will swim the 200 and 400 IM as well as the 100 and 200 backstrokes. She trains at Pine Crest in Florida and was on the Russian team in 2011 as well where she took bronze leading off the 400 medley relay.

The entire Russian swimming program has turned around since, but at the last World Junior Championships, the Russians won only 5 medals total, none of which were gold. They’re hoping for a better performance in 2013.

The full rosters (surname first), with home region and events, are below.

1. Doreen Alexander (Nizhny Novgorod region.) – 200 m breaststroke
2. Vsevolod Zanko (Moscow) – 50 m and 100 m breaststroke
3. Red Alexander (Republic of Tatarstan) – 200 m and 400 m / style
4. Kudashev Alexander (Samara region.) – 50 m, 100 m and 200 m butterfly 5. Kuz’menko Ivan (Saratov region.) – 50 m and 100 m / style
6. Semen Makovich (Samara region.) – 200 m and 400 m complex
7. Melyanenkov Daniel (Moscow) – 200 m / style
8. Osipenko Alexander (Krasnodar region) – 100 m backstroke, 200 m and 400 m complex
9. Palatov Alexander (Volgograd region.) – 200 m breaststroke
10. Sedov Evgeny (Volgograd region). – 50 m and 100 m / style, 50 m butterfly
11. Tarasevich Gregory (Omsk region). – 50 m, 100 m and 200 m backstroke
12. Tarkhans Sergei (Sverdlovsk region). – Relay
13. Khomenko Ilya (Rostov region.) – 50 m and 100 m breaststroke

Women
1. Baklakova Maria (Perm) – 50 m, 100 m and 200m / style 2. Anna Belousova (Sverdlovsk region) – 50 m and 100 m breaststroke
3. Volkodavova Pauline (Volgograd Region.) – 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m / style
4. Vtorov Maria (Moscow) – 50 m, 100 m and 200 m breaststroke
5. Guzhenkova Anastasia (Samara region) – 100 m and 200 m butterfly
6. Kartashov Daria (Nizhny Novgorod Region) – 50 m backstroke
7. Kolotushkin Valeria (Penza oblast) – relay
8. Larina Julia (without restrictions.) – 200 m and 400 m complex, 100 and 200 m on the back
9. Nasretdinova Rosalia (Moscow) – 50 m and 100 V / style, 50 m butterfly
10. Salamatina Valeria (Sverdlovsk region) – 200 m and 400 m / Style
11. Ustinov Daria (Sverdlovsk region). – 50 m, 100 m, 200 m backstroke
12. Ustinov Daria (St. Petersburg) – relay
13. Chimrova Svetlana (Moscow) – 50 m and 100 m butterfly