Continuing a trend of big summer rosters for the country, the All-Russia Swimming Federation (WWF) has announced a 31-athlete roster for the 2019 World University Games. This follows the announcement of a 38-swimmer roster for the 2019 World Championships and a 39-swimmer roster for the European Junior Championships.
The 2019 Summer Universiade, also known as the World University Games, will be held from July 3rd-14th in Naples, Italy.
At the 2017 World University Games, Russia finished 4th on the medals table with 2 golds, 5 silvers, and 9 bronzes: a total of 16 medals. That put them behind only the United States, Japan, and Italy.
Among the medalists returning from that Russian team is Aleksandr Sadovnikov, who won the men’s 100 fly in 51.81. He’ll be joined by Roman Larin, who took bronze in the 200 backstroke behind only Lithuania’s Dana Rapsys and the United States’ Austin Katz; and relay medalists Ernest Maksumov and Aleksandr Kudashev on the men’s team.
Only one relay medalist returns from the women’s team: Maria Baklakova, who won a gold medal as part of Russia’s 800 free relay in 2017.
Russia has pulled few punches with this roster and have included a number of the members of their World Championship team roster as well. That includes Kiril Prigoda, the 2017 World Championships bronze medalist in the 100 breaststroke.
Other highlights of the roster include former University of Louisville All-American Grigory Tarasevich, who was the odd-man out in the country’s loaded men’s backstroke group for Worlds, and will be a favorite in all 3 backstroke races at WUGs; the country’s 400 IM champion Maksim Stupin (4:16.30); and former Russian Record holder in the 200 IM Semen Makovich.
The roster also includes Mark Nikolaev, who as a senior in the US last season at Grand Canyon University finished 3rd in the 100 back (44.33).
The women’s roster includes Rozaliya Nasretdinova, who was 5th at last summer’s European Championships in the 50 free.
To be eligible for the 2019 World University Games, athletes must have been born between January 1, 1994* and December 31, 2001, and have taken at least one course and be progressing toward a degree or diploma at an accredited post-secondary academic institution. There is no requirement of amateur status
Full Russian Roster, and Alternates, 2019 World University Games (last name first)
Men
1. Ablovatsky Maxim (Novosibirsk region)
2. Dubinin Vladimir (Moscow)
3. Kudashev Alexander (Samara Region)
4. Kudryashov Vladimir (Kemerovo Region)
5. Kuzmenko Ivan (Volgograd Region)
6. Kuimov Egor (Republic of Tatarstan)
7. Larin Roman (Penza region)
8. Makovich Semen (Moscow)
9. Maksumov Ernest (Republic of Tatarstan)
10. Markov Daniel (Novosibirsk region)
11. Nikitin Anton (St. Petersburg)
12. Nikolaev Mark (Leningrad Region)
13. Prigoda Kirill ( St. Petersburg)
14. Sadovnikov Alexander (Volgograd region st)
15. Snegirev Nikolay (Moscow)
16. Stupin Maxim (Moscow)
17. Tarasevich Grigory (Republic of Tatarstan)
18. Khomenko Ilya (Rostov Region)
Women
1. Baklakova Maria (Perm Territory)
2. Lush Vasilissa (Nizhny Novgorod Region)
3. Vasilenok Kseniya (Novgorod Region)
4. Godun Nika (Moscow)
5. Denisenko Alexandra (St. Petersburg)
6. Egorova Polina (Republic of Bashkortostan)
7. Klevanovich Elizaveta (Tyumen Region)
8. Krivonogova Irina (Samara Region)
9. Nasretdinova Rosalia (Moscow)
10. Osipenko Anastasia (Krasnoyarsk Territory)
11. Prikhodko Irina (Republic of Tatarstan)
12. Spodarenko Sofya (Tyumen Region)
13. Chikunova Daria ( St. Petersburg)
Reserve
1. Korolev Nikita (Republic of Tatarstan)
2. Mozhina Natalia (Irkutsk Region)
3. Fedorov Alexander (St. Petersburg)
4. Shevlyakov Roman (St. Petersburg)
5. Semyaninov Daniel (Moscow)
6. Somov Yevgeny (St. Petersburg)
7. Zhikharev Peter (Moscow)