2024 SPEEDO ATLANTA CLASSIC
- Wednesday, May 15th – Saturday, May 18th 2024
- McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta, Georgia
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- How To Watch
- Day 1 Distance Recap
- Live Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 Speedo Atlanta Classic”
Evgenii Somov unleashed a monstrous swim in the prelims of the men’s 100 breaststroke on Thursday morning at the Atlanta Classic, stunningly breaking the Russian Record.
Entering the competition having never broken 1:00, Somov fired off a time of 58.72 this morning, cracking Anton Chupkov‘s Russian Record of 58.83 established in 2020.
A former star at the University of Louisville, Somov dismantled his previous best of 1:00.11 set at the 2021 Russian Championships. He only has a handful of long course swims on record over the last few years—at the beginning of March, he logged a time of 1:00.83 at the California/Nevada Sectionals, which represented his season-best coming into this week.
Somov closed well in setting his previous best time three years ago, but was even faster on Thursday—and quicker than Chupkov, who is known for his closing ability—as he rocketed back in 30.68.
Split Comparison
| Chupkov, Old Record | Somov, Old PB |
Somov, New Record
|
| 27.97 | 29.01 | 28.03 |
| 58.83 (30.86) | 1:00.11 (31.10) | 58.72 (30.68) |
The 25-year-old is representing the California-based club Albany Armada Aquatics.
A five-time ACC champion in the 100 breast during his time at Louisville, Somov slots into #5 in the world rankings for the 2023-24 season.
2023-2024 LCM Men 100 Breast
QIN
57.69
| 2 | Adam PEATY | GBR | 57.94 | 04/02 |
| 3 | Nic FINK | USA | 58.57 | 02/12 |
| 4 | Arno KAMMINGA | NED | 58.68 | 10/20 |
| 5 | Evgenii Somov | RUS | 58.72 | 05/16 |
Entering tonight’s final in Atlanta, Somov is nearly three seconds clear of the field, with Henry Bethel sitting 2nd at 1:01.42.
RACE VIDEO
Courtesy of @swimcoverage on X
🇺🇸Atlanta Classic
男子100Br 予選
エフゲニー・ソモフ 58.72 =NR🇷🇺Evgenii Somovが58秒台！！
25歳のソモフ、1.39秒PB更新！
🇷🇺Anton Chupkovが持っていたロシアンレコードを0.11秒更新！決勝でさらに記録を伸ばせるか！ pic.twitter.com/6b5KTRwV8S— 競泳NEWS (@swimcoverage) May 16, 2024
Somov is fast enough to compete at the Paris Olympics—he’s never qualified for the Games with Russian breaststroke dominated by Chupkov and Kirill Prigoda—but will need to apply for neutral status with World Aquatics in order to do so.
He’s a really good guy.
Shows that sometimes sprinters need to take it out “slow” (for them!).
That has to be one of the fastest backhalfs ever. 30’68 is moving
BAN HIM FROM PARIS
He’s been in the US for a decade at this point, go home boomer
Lmao why would they do that
Glad a Russian swimmer can find safety and success in America. Nobody’s swim career has to be tied to the war 👍
Did not have Somov just dropping nearly 2 seconds and smashing the Russian record in prelims. Big swim for him hope he’ll be able to compete in Paris with this new development
Fast
Is he training with a pro group out in CA? Crazy if he’s just self-training and drops a 58.7
He’s not with a pro group
He’s not with a pro group. He’s coaching age groupers at Albany Armada and training primarily with Coach Piankhi Gibson. Quite an accomplishment for the pair.
Piankhi Gibson is nothing more than a fraud and a thief. I had the unfortunate part of working with him. I wish nothing but the best for Ev. I just pray Gibson doesn’t ruin his career like he has to his other swimmers.
Can you elaborate?
First of all he would constantly be late on his payments or not pay his staff at all. DMing top swimmers on other teams to either join his team or try his programs to the point that he even got a warning from USA Swimming. The athletes that he was able to coerce he would do his “special” training but a lot of them come out with bad shoulder injuries. I had to get out of there.