2016 SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 6th – December 11th, 2016
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- WFCU Centre
- SCM (25m)
- Prelims: 9:30 AM EST/Finals: 6:30 PM EST
- Start Lists/Results
- Live Stream ($)
Both the Russians and Belarusian men broke their national 4×50 medley relay National Records tonight, en route to winning the gold and bronze medals. Russia won in a time of 1:31.52, lowering their previous National Record of 1:31.80 set all the way back in 2009 at the European Championships in Istanbul. Belarus clocked 1:32.49 for bronze, beating their previous record of 1:33.21 set at the 2015 European Championships in Netanya.
Russia had four all-around solid legs, improving 3rd at the 50 wall to 2nd at the 100 and then out in front from there. Belarus had strong back and breast legs from Pavel Sankovich and Ilya Shymanovich to take the lead after 100m. The United States won silver in 1:31.49.
Here’s a comparative look at the splits from the previous records and the newly minted ones:
Russia ’09: 22.86 (26.16) (22.29) (20.49) = 1:31.80
Russia ’16: 23.46 (25.52) (22.08) (20.46) = 1:31.52
Belarus ’15: 23.45 (26.59) (21.99) (21.18) = 1:33.21
Belarus ’16: 23.05 (25.82) (22.59) (21.03) = 1:32.49
None of the four Russian swimmers return from the previous record with it being set seven years ago, but the entire Belarusian team is the same. Sankovich, Shymanovich, Yauhen Tsurkin and Anton Latkin are the four men for Belarus, while Russia’s foursome was made up of Andrei Shabasov, Kirill Prigoda, Aleksandr Popkov and Vladimir Morozov.
Russia has swept the men’s relays so far, and will look to go five-for-five tomorrow night in the 4×100 medley.