2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Swimming: August 6-13
- Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
- Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
- SwimSwam previews
- Schedule & Results
Russian breaststroker Anton Chupkov took six more tenths of a second off his own Russian national 200 breast record, going 2:07.93 in heats of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
That time qualified the 19-year-old first overall heading into the semifinals, and he becomes the first Russian man under 2:08 and one of just 15 men ever to break the barrier.
Chupkov still holds the Junior World Record from last summer, but has since aged out of contention to reset that record.
The first time Chupkov set this national record was earlier this year at the Mare Nostrum Tour in June. At the Canet, France stop, Chupkov was 2:08.53. The previous record was a 2:08.62 from back in 2013.
This morning in Rio, Chupkov was 2:07.93, beating out both American entrants, including #2 swimmer of all-time Josh Prenot.
Chupkov still has semifinals tonight and finals tomorrow night to both lower his own Russian record and move up from 15th on the all-time list. He’s about nine tenths of a second off the world record, which has survived multiple scares since 2012 but still stands at 2:07.01.
It should be noted that while several Russian athletes have been under heavy criticism during these Olympics for anti-doping violations, Chupkov hasn’t been named in connection with the McLaren Report and was not one of the 7 Russian swimmers originally banned from the Olympics.
2.07.9 at 19 years old that’s unbelievable. He can defiantly break the world record in semis or final
What makes you say that? He’s already improved over a second and a half in the last year, and it’s nearly another second for the world record. He can push for a medal but the WR seems a bit too far for this competition.