Russian budding superstar Evgeny Sedov has withdrawn from the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China with an apparent back injury, according to Brazil’s Blog do Coach.
Sedov is the current Junior World Record holder in both the 50 free (22.07) and the 50 fly (23.28), and just a week ago won the same two events at the European Junior Championships. He has been sub-22 in the 50 free.
The 18-year old withdrew from the rest of the meet, including relays, shortly thereafter with a back injury. Medical staff have also recommended that he withdraw from the Youth Olympic Games.
This derails a potential matchup with Brazil’s Matheus Santana, as the two are the best long course junior sprinters in the world. That’s especially disappointing given that both swimmers gave up entries to bigger meets (Santana to Pan Pacs, Sedov to the European Championships), in order to race at the Youth Olympic Games.