Thirty-six Russian swimmers have been selected to participate in the 2014 World Short Course Championships in Doha, Qatar from December 3rd-7th: one of the largest rosters we’ve seen announced around the world.
According to Russia’s National R-Sport, the below swimmers will go to the meet, and it should be a full lineup for the Russians, who will be taking all of their top swimmers.
That includes Vlad Morozov, the defending World Championship silver medalist in the 50 free. Morozov will swim only two races individually however: the 50 free and the 100 IM. That means, among the races he’s skipping, are the 50 back, where he’s the 2014 European long course champion, and the 100 free. Morozov actually qualified for the team without swimming at Russian nationals, but was already qualified based on his World Championships swims from last year. Morozov is one of the best swimmers in history in short course, and with the ability to focus on the 50 free individually, he has a legitimate shot at a World Record, though Brazilian Cesar Cielo and a handful of other swimmers will challenge him there.
Of the top six swimmers from last year’s long course World Championships in the 100 free, now only two will enter the event in Doha: American Jimmy Feigen (silver medalist) and Australian Cam McEvoy. Morozov is the defending Short Course World Champion in the event.
Just because he’s limited individually doesn’t mean that Morozov will be limited in races. With mixed relays added, each swimmer has the opportunity to earn up to five relay medals, and historically the Russians have been very good in those mixed relays.
The Russians will also take Stanislav Donets on the coaches’ discretion, after winning the 50 and 100 backstroke at Russian Nationals but not necessarily hitting the applicable qualifying times.
At the 2012 World Short Championships in Istanbul, Russia wound up 5th on the medals table with 9 total medals. That includes golds from Morozov in both the 50 and 100 free.
Men
Vyacheslav Andrusenko (relays only)
Stanislav Donets (50/100 back)
Dmitry Ermakov (relays only)
Sergey Fesikov (50 free, 100 IM, 100 fly)
Sergey Geybel (50 breast)
Danila Izotov (100/200 free)
Nikita Konovalov (100 free/50 fly)
Evgeny Korotyshkin (100 fly)
Oleg Kostin (100/200 breast)
Alexander Krasnykh (400 free)
Alexander Kudashev (200 fly)
Artyom Lobuzov (relays only)
Semen Makovich (200/400 IM)
Vladimir Morozov (50 free, 100 IM)
Mikhail Polyschuk (200 free)
Alexander Popkov (50 fly)
Kirill Prigoda (50/200 breast)
Evgeny Sedov (relays only)
Nikolay Skvortsov (200 fly)
Oleg Tikhobaev (relays only)
Alexander Tikhonov (400 IM)
Women
Viktoria Andreeva (relays only)
Valentina Artemyeva (100 breast)
Maria Astashkina (100, 200 breast)
Svetlana Chimrova (100 fly)
Anastasia Lyazeva (relays only)
Viktoria Malyutina (400 IM)
Yana Martynova (400 IM)
Rosalia Nasretdinova (50 free)
Margarita Nesterova (relays only)
Arina Opyonysheva (relays only)
Anastasia Osipenko (relays only)
Veronika Popova (100/200/400 free)
Elena Sokolova (relays only)
Vitalina Simonova (200 breast)
Daria K Ustinova (100/200 back)
There is nothing I hate more than Russia winning gold in anything. Lets go USA
Save injury, it seems 100free will be a “walking in the park” for Florent Manaudou.
And right now, i think Florent is favorite in 50free too. Vlad was not at his best this year, and Cesar is without his 2010 start.