Russian Men Take Down 4×50 SCM Medley Relay World Record

EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017

The Russian quartet of Vladimir Morozov, Aleksandr Popkov, Kliment Kolesnikov, and Kirill Prigoda combined for a time of 1:30.44, breaking the World Record previously held by Brazil.

Brazil went their 1:30.51 back in 2014, at the World SC Championships in Doha. When looking at the comparative splits, it was Russia’s front half that pushed them far enough ahead of the record. 17-year-old Kolesnikov led off in a World Junior record 22.83, which made up a ton of ground on the old record.

On the end, Nicholas Santos and Cesar Cielo were actually faster than Popkov and Morozov, respectively. That didn’t matter, though, because the Russians’ overall time was clocked at 1:30.44, .07 ahead of the World Record.

OLD RECORD NEW RECORD
Guilherme Guido 23.42 22.83
Felipe Franca 25.33 25.26 Kirill Prigoda
Nicholas Santos 21.68 22.11
Cesar Cielo 20.08 20.24

Notably, this relay is made up of 3 of the 4 legs from the Russian relay that placed 5th at those 2014 World Champs. Their lead-off was Sergei Fesikov (23.45), significantly slower than Kolesnikov today. They were all slower in 2014, in fact– Prigoda was 25.96, Popkov 22.31, and Morozov 20.43.

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bobo gigi
7 years ago
bobo gigi
7 years ago

With Kolesnikov, Minakov and the others, Russia has a very special men’s medley relay in the making for the next few years.

Schwimm
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

I thought you had died… it’s been a long time!

Dcrabbe6
7 years ago

Love how Russia is in euro championships lol

Dan
7 years ago

How do the European Champ results compare to last years World Champs?
Just starting, letting someone else complete it:
Women’s 50 Free
Winning time from 2016 Worlds would have been 4th at the 2017 Euro Champs
Women’s 100 free
Winning time from 2016 Worlds would have been 5th at the 2017 Euro Champs
Women’s 100 free
Winning time from 2016 Worlds would have been 1st at the 2017 Euro Champs, Top 4 at 2016 Worlds were faster than 2nd place at the 2017 Euro Champs
…..

Anonymous
Reply to  Dan
7 years ago

Euros is SC so it’s bound to be faster

SwimmerForever
Reply to  Anonymous
7 years ago

SC Worlds were last year in December in Windsor, CA

dude
7 years ago

anyone wanna hear a joke? How many russians on PEDs does it take to set a world record? Oh wait… that’s real.

Observer
Reply to  dude
7 years ago

Sad but true… I wish a record like this could be good news, but these days you can’t just not wonder about russian results… In ANY sport!!

Emanuele
Reply to  Observer
7 years ago

You can say the same thing for every nation. Americans, Spaniard, Italians, Russians, British, ecc… basically all the nations had multiple cases of doping in multiple sports.

Swimmer
Reply to  Emanuele
7 years ago

There are very few nations that can claim to be “clean”, but this doesn’t mean any nation where an athlete has tested positive should be put in the same category as Russia. Systematic doping is very different from a few rogue athletes who decide to cheat.

Emanuele
Reply to  Swimmer
7 years ago

few? Should I remember you all the prominent athletes in various sport who dope? Or all major sports federation that basically hide test results to cover their top stars? Or the TUE cases (I’m sorry but if you are a top athlete you can’t take anfhetamine for ADHD)?
Right now Russian athletes results are suspicious just like the any other results…

THEO
Reply to  dude
7 years ago

After watching Icarus (documentary on state-sponsored doping in Russia in last few years), my views on watching their team are forever changed. It was much uglier than I ever would have expected. Much more robust, much more direct. And not comparable to anything done in the USA. If you doubt me, go ahead and watch it, and try to say with a straight face afterward that the same thing could happen here.

It does make me feel bad for the clean Russian athletes. They can either compete for a country that has systemically supported doping or they can compete for no country. Terrible options.

Swimmer!
Reply to  THEO
7 years ago

Uhhh there are definitely similar things going on in the U.S. Granted they aren’t all U.S. athletes, but Team Nike in Oregon for Track is definitely doing systematic doping.

samuel huntington
7 years ago

curious – has anyone split 19 SCM?

crooked donald
Reply to  samuel huntington
7 years ago

Joseph Schooling. In practice.

Dudeman
Reply to  crooked donald
7 years ago

Ok now that is a good joe schooling practice joke, I can’t even be upset about that

Dylan
Reply to  Dudeman
7 years ago

I hate them so much but that one got me too lol

SWIMGUY12345
Reply to  samuel huntington
7 years ago

Not textile as far as I know.
But Levaux (19.93) and Bousquet (19.87) both did in Rijevka in 2008. With suits obviously.
Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/W0dp8sXgQu0

IM FAN
Reply to  SWIMGUY12345
7 years ago

It’s kind of funny actually, as 4x50s have been at the european champs longer than FINA has reconginzed the event, so a team can set a WR but it might not be the ER.
All of the FINA WRs that are not the world best because of this:
FINA men 4×50 Free WR: Russia 1:22.60 2014
Morozov 21.01
Sedov 20.37
Tikhobaev 20.59
Fesikov 20.63
LEN men 4×50 free ER: France 1:20.77 2008
Bernard 20.64
Gilot 20.33
Leveaux 19.93
Bousquet 19.87
(same team as the 2008 olympic 4×100)
FINA women 4×50 free WR: Netherlands 1:33.91 2017
Kromowidjojo 23.42
Heemskerk 23.19
Vliet 23.65
Roon 23.65… Read more »

About Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon

Karl Ortegon studied sociology at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, graduating in May of 2018. He began swimming on a club team in first grade and swam four years for Wesleyan.

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