Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov Crushes World Record in 50 Backstroke (23.55)

2023 SWIMMING CUP OF RUSSIA

Kliment Kolesnikov is barred from competing at this week’s World Championships due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, but the 23-year-old backstroke specialist still sent a message on Thursday by clocking a new world record in the men’s 50-meter backstroke during the semifinals of the 2023 Swimming Cup of Russia in Kazan.

Kolesnikov touched the wall in 23.55, taking .16 seconds off the previous global standard of 23.71 that 22-year-old American Hunter Armstrong posted last April. Kolesnikov’s previous-best 23.80 from the 2021 European Championships was the world record before Armstrong, having first broken the mark with a 24.00 in 2018. He’s the first man under 24 seconds this season, overtaking Justin Ress‘ 24.10 as the top time in the world this season.

Kolesnikov now owns the 50 back world records in both long course and short course after breaking the SCM standard last November with a 22.11 at the Russian Championships in Kazan. He’s one of just five men to currently hold multiple individual world records.

Kolesnikov’s semifinal swim came on the heels of a 51.82 100 back on Wednesday, which was the second-fastest swim in history behind only Thomas Ceccon (51.60). It was also four-tenths of a second quicker than what Ryan Murphy went to win gold at the World Championships on Tuesday. The men’s 50 back is slated for Saturday.

With one year remaining until the Paris 2024 Olympics, the IOC has declined to offer Russia and Belarus formal invitations without making a final decision on allowing their athletes to compete as neutrals.

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Air Quality at YMCA Pools
1 year ago

Pray for Ukraine 🇺🇦

John26
1 year ago

Tiniest if he drops the same amount of time that he did in the 100back in the 100free. He’s going to be right on Popovici’s WR

jerix
1 year ago

goat

Yuri
1 year ago

Whatever you think about russians being able to compete or not, Murphy had to beat only one (Ceccon) out of his 3 biggest competitors. Kolesnikov and Rylov were not allowed. Does it really count as much as if they were there ? Let’s be honest.

IM FAN
Reply to  Yuri
1 year ago

I don’t think Rylov belongs in that same breathe anymore.

Matt
Reply to  Yuri
1 year ago

Rylov isn’t in form idk if he would’ve even made the final.

Christine Breedy
Reply to  Yuri
1 year ago

Yes it does just like Olympic champions from the 80 and 84 Olympics can still be proud of being Olympic champions-

Pescatarian
1 year ago

Will it be ratified? I doubt RUSADA is a stand up anti-doping agency, especially now that Russia is in its world silo.

WillW
Reply to  Pescatarian
1 year ago

Evgeniia Chikunova’s world-record swim in the 200 meters breast stroke in April was recently ratified by FINA. And yes, that swim took place in Russia. And yes, she was drug tested. Unless Kolesnikov tests positive, his record will be ratified as well.

Wanna Sprite?
Reply to  WillW
1 year ago

That record was sus

WillW
Reply to  Wanna Sprite?
1 year ago

Not according to FINA/World Aquatics, the one that decides such matters. If you have a problem with Chikunova’s record, I suggest you take your suspicions to them. If you do, and if they respond, please post their response.

Phil
Reply to  WillW
1 year ago

Yeah let’s go to the corrupt organization to ask about the other corrupt organizations corruptedness

Troyy
Reply to  WillW
1 year ago

Kolesnikov’s SCM 50 back world record was ratified as well.

FinnSwim
1 year ago

Is it RUSADA which is responsible for doping tests? I thought they were disqualified by WADA due to state sponsored doping.
I don’t buy anything out of Russia until they are fully exposed to international testing regime.

Yozhik
1 year ago

What else they have left to do. From 1917 they are ruling the sport competition by their own rules (that you will never know all of the inner working details) stating that sport achievements are the direct proof of their state governing system being the best in the world. Listen to the commentators and interviews at this competition to get the idea what I am talking about.
There was some gap though in this propaganda nonsense in 1930s when the leadership in this matter was taken by Nazi German
The sport government in this country doesn’t actually want to be the equal member of world community. For the propaganda purposes it is better the way it is now.… Read more »

Zippo
1 year ago

In Kazan, a swimmer named Kolesnikov,
Crushed records, the world, he did shock.
In the 50 backstroke race,
He set a new pace,
With a world record that’s hard to unlock.

Alaverga
Reply to  Zippo
1 year ago

Bro your poems suck

Pescatarian
Reply to  Alaverga
1 year ago

Now that’s poetry

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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