As the famous episode of Star Wars saga, Russia strikes back in the second and last day of competition for Finswimming at The World Games in Wroclaw (Poland). CMAS (World underwater sports federation) it has been the queen of the first two days. Russia dominated the last day of the competition and the final medal table, with an incredible strike of golds: 4 in the first 4 events, then another one on the closing relay, for a total of 8 in two days and an undisputed first place on the final medal table.
So the last day’s finals afternoon was opened with the gold of Russian Pavel Kabanov on 50 aponea men (13″87), already bronze yesterday on the 100 surface, followed by Colombian Mauricio Fernandez Castillo (silver medal in 13″94), respectively second and third 4 years ago at The World Games in Cali, and South-Korean Dong Jin Lee (bronze in 14″09). Gold for Russia even on 50 bi-fins men with Andrey Arbuzov (18″55, just 0″34 shy from his own world record), who beat Czech Jakub Jarolim (19″08) and Belarus Dmitry Gavrilov (19″18), respectively bronze and gold yesterday on 100 bi-fins. The third gold in a row for Russia was then signed by 15 years old Ekaterina Mikhaylushkina on 100 surface women in 38″40 (silver in 38″60 for chinese Chengjing Shu, the world record owner, and bronze for the other Russian Anna Ber in 38″72). Mikhaylushkina already shined yesterday, with the silver on 200 and then hauling Russian to gold with an incredible comeback in the last relay of the 4×100 over China.
On 200 surface men, Russian Dmitrii Zhurman beat again German Max Poschart, as yesterday on 100: gold in 1’20″25 and silver in 1’20″87. Russian Dmitrii Kokorev was bronze (as 4 years ago in Cali) in 1’20″89. Russian dominance was stopped on 100 bi-fins women by Hungarian Petra Senanszky, who doubled gold won on 50 metres winning in 45″16 and setting, as yesterday, the new world record (0″53 better than the one she set in 2016). Silver for fellow countrywoman Krisztina Varga (46″77), already third yesterday, and bronze medal for Ukrainian Iryna Pikiner (46″92). On 400 surface women, gold for Chinese Yiting Sun (3’14″47), silver for South-Korean Bo Kyung Kim (3’16″33) and bronze for Ukrainian Anastasiia Antoniak (3’17″61), same medal she gained yesterday on 200.
In the final event of the Finswimming days in Wroclaw, Colombia was disqualified and Russia won gold on 4×100 surface relay (as 4 years ago in Cali) with Kabanov, Aleksey Kazantsev, Kokorev and Zhurman in 2’16″54, the new world record. Italy was silver in 2’19″02 with Kevin Zanardi, Andrea Nava, Stefano Figini and Cesare Fumarola, Germany gained bronze in 2’19″44 with Max Lauschus, Poschart, Florian Kritzler and Malte Striegler.
Final medal table:
Russia: 8 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze (tot. 12).
Hungary: 3,2,1 (6).
Republic of Korea: 1,3,2 (6).
China: 1,1,0 (2).
Belarus: 1,0,1 (2).
Germany: 0,3,1 (4).
Colombia: 0,2,0 (2).
Italy: 0,1,1 (2).
Czech Republic: 0,1,1 (2).
Ukraine: 0,0,4 (4).
Press Release courtesy of CMAS.
