A handful of swimmers from the Trojan Swim Club training program, along with some of the areas top club swimmers, came together this weekend at the Southern California Swimming March Senior Invite. The biggest news of the weekend was the return from a 16-month doping suspension of Russian swimmer Yuliya Efimova, who swam a 1:05.89 to win the women’s 100 long course meters breaststroke.
That time is a new world-leader for the Russian, which will raise some eyebrows across swimming as she’s still eligible to swim at the upcoming World Championships in her native Russia.
2014-2015 LCM Women 100 Breast
MEILUTYTE
1.05.46
| 2 | Yuliya EFIMOVA | RUS | 1.05.60 | 08/03 |
| 3 | Katie MEILI | USA | 1.05.64 | 07/17 |
| 4 | Alia ATKINSON | JAM | 1.06.21 | 08/03 |
| 5 | Jinglin SHI | CHN | 1.06.28 | 08/03 |
Taking 2nd in that race was China’s Xiaoyu Liu in 1:09.49, and Emily McClellan was 3rd in 1:11.73.
The latest rising Chinese star is Hongyu Che, who took 4th in that race in 1:14.89 at just 13 years old.
Later in the day on Saturday, Efimova swam 2:15.60 to win the 200 IM
Among other big names at this meet were another Russian/Trojan swimmer Vlad Morozov, who won the men’s 50 free in 22.57. He beat out his training partner Derek Toomey (23.38) and high school senior Cole Cogswell (24.42).
The Russians continued to excel as Nikita Lobintsev (1:48.35) #5 Women 50 Free Finalsbeat out Alexandr Sukhorukov (1:49.56).
American National Team member Katie McLaughlin swam two races on Saturday and twice fell to Chinese swimmers in back-to-back swims.
First, Shuyu Sun (who like McLaughlin is only 17) swam 26.51 to beat the Mission Viejo swimmer’s 26.55; and then Shija Wang (2:12.03) was able to hold off McLaughlin (2:12.96) after the latter had a monstrous last 50 meters.
Haley Anderson was 3rd in the 200 fly in 2:13.86.
Yes, I want to know.. Was Efimova ever tested at all last year during her ban?
If not, she could have doped to the gills everyday, HGH EPO steroids what have you, maximizing her training, and stopped taking just before her ban term ended.
The benefits of such full year regime could still be carried away to the next year Rio.
She still trained with trojan. Didn’t get tested during her ban. Just trained hard.
Are you sure she still trained with Trojan?
Because if she did, Trojan could be in serious trouble.
As recent studies have shown that the benefits of taking PED still in effect years after they stopped using PED.
Anyone who says, let’s give Efimova a chance, she’s clean now, is very naive.
My question is.. did the Trojans still allow Yuliya to use their facilities?? Self funded or not, that’s an insult to other athletes.
Sorry but isn’t this basically what Hardy did in 2009? I struggle to grasp why there is so much more animosity towards Yuliya. A cheat is a cheat.
Yuck! Anyone who tested positive should be banned from the sport.
ASSWIMFAN, I think it is really silly to want a competitive swimmer to not train while on suspension in a structured enviroment with a good coach. Yes, what she did was wrong. But, as long as she is clean now what’s the big deal. When Michael Phelps was suspended with a DUI, no one was telling him not to train with his coach. I’m sure she was drug tested coming off of a suspension before this meet. She deserves a second chance like just like Michael Phelps.
Maybe it’s silly, but I would have thought that the same coach who has been betrayed by his swimmers many more times (compared to other elite coaches) in the past few years for breaking his famous “no supplements” would have said “NO, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”.
Also, it is a bit false to make analogy to Phelps’ case as his infraction is nothing related to performance in the pool.
Disagree. DUI is not the same as taking PEDs! Sorry…not the same!
Link to Live Results for this meet: http://www.socalswim.org/live-results/2015MarchSeniorMVN/
A couple other times: Weitzel exhibitioned the 50 free: 26.1. Morozov 22.5 Efimova 2:15.6 in the 2IM, 2:31.7 in this morning’s 2Breast prelims.
I’ve grown increasingly skeptical over the years: I think Vencill was innocent, I’m still agnostic/ambivalent about what Hardy knew, and now I’m very skeptical like everyone else about Efimova because of her ridiculous excuse that nobody else is buying. Regardless of what Hardy/Efimova knew, they both should have immediately been kicked off of Trojan SC permanently for going against his policy against supplements that Salo announced after Vencill’s experience. If Salo accepts Efimova back now, that’s the last straw for his already deteriorating reputation.
This looks like the exact same pattern as Jess Hardy, banned for being dirty,comes back first swim meet and kills it….. Jess broke the WR, Effimova went around the same time… Such cheaters