Russia's Kliment Kolesnikov Drops 51.82 100 Back For #2 Performance of All-Time

Russia’s Kliment Kolesnikov Drops 51.82 100 Back For #2 Performance of All-Time

2023 SWIMMING CUP OF RUSSIA

Kliment Kolesnikov set the pool ablaze on the second night of action at the 2023 Swimming Cup of Russia in Kazan, blasting his way to the second-fastest swim in history in the men’s 100 backstroke.

Kolesnikov put up a time of 51.82 in the 100 back final to mark his first time under the 52-second threshold, breaking Evgeny Rylov‘s Russian Record of 51.98 while moving up from seventh to second in the all-time rankings. (Rylov has been as fast as 51.97 but it was done leading off a mixed medley relay and isn’t officially recognized as a record.)

Kolesnikov’s swim ranks second only to the world record of 51.60 set by Italian Thomas Ceccon last year, overtaking Ryan MurphyXu JiayuAaron Peirsol, Rylov and Hunter Armstrong in the all-time rankings.

The 23-year-old Kolesnikov’s previous best time stood at 52.00, set at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where he won the silver medal behind Rylov.

The former world record holder in the 50 back, Kolesnikov opened his race in an otherworldly 24.83 at the halfway mark and still managed to come home under 27 seconds.

Split Comparison

Ceccon, WR Kolesnikov, Old PB Kolesnikov, New PB
25.14 24.90 24.83
51.60 (26.46) 52.00 (27.10) 51.82 (26.99)

All-Time Performances, Men’s 100 Backstroke (LCM)

  1. Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 51.60 – 2022 World Championships
  2. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS), 51.82 – 2023 Swimming Cup of Russia
  3. Ryan Murphy (USA), 51.85 – 2016 Olympic Games
  4. Xu Jiayu (CHN), 51.86 – 2017 Chinese Nationals
  5. Thomas Ceccon (ITA), 51.93 – 2022 World Championships
  6. Aaron Peirsol (USA) / Ryan Murphy (USA), 51.94 – 2009 U.S. Nationals / 2018 Pan Pacs
  7. Ryan Murphy (USA) / Ryan Murphy (USA) / Evgeny Rylov (RUS), 51.97 – 2016 Olympics / 2018 Pan Pacs / 2019 World Championships

Kolesnikov’s swim is notably four-tenths of a second quicker than what Murphy went to win gold at the 2023 World Championships on Tuesday in Fukuoka, Japan.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus remain barred from competing in World Aquatics events due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Rylov was the runner-up to Kolesnikov in Kazan in a time of 52.80, while up-and-comer Miron Lifintsev made it three swimmers sub-53 in a PB of 52.96.

RACE VIDEO

100 back final starts at 41:30

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Jonathan
10 months ago

Gross.

Troyy
10 months ago

Shouldn’t the title say that it would’ve won gold at Worlds?

https://swimswam.com/ledecky-posts-154-50-200-free-to-win-nationals-wouldve-won-gold-at-worlds/

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Troyy
10 months ago

When you write the article, you can pick the headline.

LBSWIM
10 months ago

PEDs at their finest.

Jamba Juice drinker 49
10 months ago

Doping in a 45 meter pool

Jalen T
10 months ago

I don’t remember backlash to Americans competing at the 2004 Olympics…. Shame on IOC and FINA

Jalen T
10 months ago

Where all the people who I said Murphy golds don’t count when the Russians are better then him!??? Quiet…

Pescatarian
Reply to  Jalen T
10 months ago

Jalen. No one likes you. Hang it up.

Joe
Reply to  Jalen T
10 months ago

Kolesnikov is the uncrowned champion

Big T
10 months ago

Don’t agree that athletes cannot pursue their careers due to decisions made by a leader they never even voted for. Let them compete under the Fina or IOC flag. Think Tennis have done this the correct way.

samir
Reply to  Big T
10 months ago

Don’t agree that fina should ban countries from competing for geopolitical reasons! No matter how righteous they think they are.

Sub13
10 months ago

I totally understand the Russian ban but it is a shame that there’s multiple clear gold winning performances that aren’t at the meet.

Hey
Reply to  Sub13
10 months ago

I don’t understand the Russian ban. They’re not doing anything worse than what we’ve done in the last 30 years.

Deep Cutz
Reply to  Hey
10 months ago

Oh look, I found the Jimmy Dore fan.

anty75
Reply to  Hey
10 months ago

US annexed territories of another country in the last 30 years? Didn’t know that.

Phichael Melps
Reply to  anty75
10 months ago

Invasion of Iraq was illegal under international law (US, UK, Aus and Poland were never banned)… Israel have annexed the Golan Heights since 1981 (note, annexed, not simply occupied for defence purposes).

Probably so many other examples but people like you only believe what the media tell you.

samir
Reply to  anty75
10 months ago

They did completely ravage an entire global region behind the false premise of weapon of mass destruction. Not too different than putin claiming he is fighting “nazis” in ukraine imo

Troyy
Reply to  anty75
10 months ago

They were banned before Russia annexed anything.

Last edited 10 months ago by Troyy
JoeB
Reply to  Troyy
10 months ago

The swimmers weren’t banned before the war. The Russian track and field team was banned, saved for five athletes who competed as ”neutrals.” And it had nothing to do with the war. The IAAF, the governing body of track and field, banned the Russian Federation because of PEDs. The ban came after the release of the German Documentary “The Secrets of Doping: How Russia makes its Winners” by Hajo Seppelt. If you are truly interested in learning the facts, I recommend you watch it.

Troyy
Reply to  JoeB
10 months ago

I didn’t say they were banned before the war and I’m quite familar with their doping history.

Russians were banned from sport because of the invasion in early March and they didn’t annex any territory until much later so they’d still be banned even if they didn’t annex any territory.

Now if Russian athletes weren’t banned until Russia actually annexed territory you could accurately claim they were banned for annexing territory.

Last edited 10 months ago by Troyy
JoeB
Reply to  Troyy
10 months ago

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, after the success of the Sochi Olympics. The invasion of Ukraine was Phase II. And once Russian troops crossed the border and took control of cities in Eastern Ukraine, which happened on Day 1, that is the definition of annexation, is it not? Just so you know, I write not from what I’ve read, but from what I’ve lived.

Troyy
Reply to  JoeB
10 months ago

But they weren’t banned after Crimea they were banned specifically for invading Ukraine in early 2022. People have just been trying to retroactively change the reason for the ban in order to eliminate the hypocrisy of Russian athletes being banned for the invasion of Ukraine but not American athletes for the invasion of Iraq. And no occupying cities isn’t annexation otherwise the US would’ve been “annexing” cities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

JoeB
Reply to  Troyy
10 months ago

You are right. The world didn’t care about Crimea when it should have. You are also right about American athletes not being banned for the invasion of Iraq. It is hypocrisy at its finest. People want to rewrite history all over the world. Isn’t that what is happening with the U.S. and the people running for president or other political offices? If what I read coming out of Florida is true, God help those people in that state if all those laws are passed. Where we will always agree to disagree is what is annexation. When Russia invaded Eastern Ukraine, it didn’t just take control of the cities, it took control of the local governments as well. That is annexation.… Read more »

Christopher
Reply to  Hey
10 months ago

what an idiotic thing to say

JT Thomas
Reply to  Hey
10 months ago

Yay for swimswam allowing Russian propaganda. I forgot the part where a western country invaded a sovereign country totally unprovoked to take over that country and commit mass genocide in the last 30 years

Jon
Reply to  JT Thomas
10 months ago

Afghanistan?

bubo
Reply to  JT Thomas
10 months ago

It’s not Russian propaganda it’s just his opinion lol calm down

Oleg
Reply to  bubo
10 months ago

Your opinion supports country which currently kills children and women.

Stam
Reply to  Oleg
10 months ago

Oh…ok…

Usually wars have victims. Same with the murican wars, same as Israel against palestine, same as the French legionaries in africa. But yes… Russia is the big bad wolf and Kliment Kolesnikov doesn’t know how to swim

Abraham
Reply to  JT Thomas
10 months ago

Iraq? Forgot the war brutality Americans committed there? It was a sovereign country for sure. Not to say that Russians are not guilty of their current invasion, but Americans should really stop elevating your own moral worth and treat everything as “Russian propaganda.”

JoeB
Reply to  JT Thomas
10 months ago

The United States was built on the backs of African slaves and the near-genocide of the Native people. The house you live in sits on land that was once owned by the Native Americans, who never handed it over. It was taken from them. Guess that’s part of what you forgot.

Pescatarian
Reply to  Hey
10 months ago

Are you German circa
1939?

Cobalt
Reply to  Hey
10 months ago

Iraq for one. No one banned US swimmers.

Jimmy DeSnuts
Reply to  Sub13
10 months ago

no it is great that this cheater isn’t allowed to steal medals from great athletes like Ceccon and Murphy

Phichael Melps
Reply to  Jimmy DeSnuts
10 months ago

How is KK a cheater? Some of you guys are so lazy, you just see Russia and play the doping card…

Oleg
Reply to  Sub13
10 months ago

Russia is terrorist state. A lot of swimmers ( Rylov included) part of terrorist movement

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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