By Braden Keith on SwimSwam
2017 LAUSANNE Swim CUP
- Lausanne, Switzerland
- December 20-21, 2017
- Meet central
American 18-year old Michael Andrew missed becoming the first official World Junior Record holder in the 50 free in short course meters not by tenths or hundredths, but by days. Swimming at the Lausanne Swim Cup in Switzerland last week, Andrew swam a 21.31 for his first win of the meet. That cleared the FINA-set standard for the first official World Junior Record by .01 seconds.
He was beat to the punch, however, by Russian 17-year old Kliment Kolesnikov, who swam a 21.24 on a relay leadoff on December 13th, 6 days earlier, at the European Short Course Championships. That swim is pending ratification by FINA – which has proven to be challenging in World Junior Records, because there is less consistency in doping control and form submission. Kolesnikov likely would have been tested at the European Championships as a gold medalist, however.
Kolesnikov, who on Friday in St. Petersburg broke a senior World Record, won 4 golds and 1 silver medal at those European Championships. That includes in the 200 free relay where he swam his record-breaking leadoff.
Andrew holds the World Junior Record in the 50 free, having swum 21.75 in both the heats and finals at this summer’s World Junior Championships. Kolesnikov didn’t race at that meet, but does hold the 100 and 200 back World Junior Records.
Andrew is already tied as the 6th-fastest American ever in the 50 short course meters free (which is not a popular pool length for American swimmers). He swam a 21.27 on a mixed medley relay leadoff at this year’s Singapore stop of the FINA World Cup Series. While USA Swimming has included the time in its all-time rankings, by FINA rules, it isn’t eligible for a World Junior Record being part of a mixed-gender relay.
Top 10 All-Time Americans in 50 SCM Freestyle, as of December 22nd, 2017:
- Anthony Ervin, 20.85 (2012)
- Josh Schneider, 20.88 (2010)
- Nathan Adrian, 20.95 (2015)
- Michael Chadwick, 21.16 (2015)
- Jimmy Feigen, 21.20 (2013)
- Cullen Jones (2013)/Michael Andrew (2017), 21.27
- Nick Brunelli, 21.28 (2011)
- Paul Powers, 21.31 (2016)
- Matt Grevers, 21.38 (2011)
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Michael Andrew Misses World Junior Record in 50 Free by 6 Days