Vyatchanin Breaks Two Records for New Nation at 2015 Serbia Open

by Retta Race 6

March 30th, 2015 Europe, International, News

Arkady Vyatchanin, the two-time Olympic medalist and world record holder who represented his native Russian for most of his career, swam as a member of Serbian Club Proleter at the 2015 edition of the Serbia Open this past weekend.

Swimming for Club Proleter seems to have served Vyatchanin well thus far, as the 30-year-old backstroke specialist broke his first national records in Novi Sad.  Vyatchanin is now the Serbian national record holder in the 50m backstroke, with his 26.19 having surpassed the 10-year-old national record of 26.76 set by Igor Beretic in July of 2005.  He then also scored a new national mark in the 100m backstroke as lead-off on the 4 x 100 medley relay, touching in 56.04.

Vyatchanin’s 50 back victory marked his third individual win of this weekend’s competition, having also won the 100 butterfly in 55.73, the 200 backstroke in 2:03.48.  Vyatchanin also earned second place in the 50m butterfly (24.89) and would have won the 100 backstroke contest in a time of 56.88, but was deemed disqualified for touching the wall completely underwater at the finish.

Since a falling out with the Russian swimming federation back in 2013, Vyatchanin had been seeking out a new home country and, after exploring several options, landed on Serbia as the federation he would represent throughout competitions on his journey to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Vyatchanin hopes to have word from FINA soon as to when his first competition representing Serbia internationally will be. “I will officially represent Serbia when FINA says I can officially represent them”, Vyatchanin told SwimSwam.

Full Meet Results Here

6
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Lazy Observer
9 years ago

That makese happy. Staying on top of his game without a nation to rep – that is some mental toughness right there.

liquidassets
9 years ago

What is that?

Reply to  liquidassets
9 years ago

It’s on the shield of the crest on the Serbian flag…

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/r/rs-st1.gif

PsychoDad
Reply to  Hulk Swim
9 years ago

Hulk Swim,

You may not agree with anything I write (which I do not care anyway) but you are okay – one of few here that can write and think.

By the way, those are 4 Ss, two of them rotated 180 and means in Serbian: “Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava”, or translated in English: “Only Unity Saves Serbs.”

Lane Four
9 years ago

I am very happy for him. He is a class act and deserved better from the Russian federation.

PsychoDad
9 years ago

C | C
____
C | C

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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