July 24 - August 9, 2015
Swimming is a sport that involves moving through pool water using a particular stroke. Events are held at distances from 50 metres to 1,500 metres. The morning programme includes preliminary heats with the evening programme featuring semifinals and finals. Based on the results of preliminary heats, athletes with the best competitive time advance to the next stage.
16 participants who are best in the preliminary heats in the 50m, 100m and 200m events compete in two semifinals (held on the same day as the preliminary heats) and 8 of them qualify for the final (held the next day). In longer distances and relays, 8 participants showing the best competitive time in preliminary heats qualify for the finals, which in the 800m and 1,500m events are held the next day, in the rest of events – on the same day.
Swimming has been known since prehistoric times. Babylonian bas-reliefs and Assyrian wall drawings, depicting a swimming person, point to very early swimming skills among humans. However, as a competitive sport swimming emerged only in the 19th century.
Swimming made its appearance at the Olympic Games in 1896. It was included in the programme of the FINA World Championships in 1973.
The first swimming school was opened in Saint Petersburg in 1834. The Shuvalovsky School, which was founded in 1908 in the suburb of Saint Petersburg, became the first swimming centre in Russia.
In the newly born Soviet Union swimming sections started emerging in all parts of the country. By 1941, Soviet swimmers made their names on the international scene, setting 16 records in this sport. The first top swimmers in the Soviet Union were Klavdia Aleshina, Nikolay Borisov, Leonid Meshkov and Semyon Boychenko.
The USSR national swimming team did very well at the Olympic Games. In 1968 in Mexico, 9 Soviet swimmers claimed 4 silver and 4 bronze medals. In 1976 in Montreal, they took all three spots on the podium in the women’s 200m breaststroke. In 1980 in Moscow, the USSR team earned 5 gold medals and 1 silver. Vladimir Salnikov became the hero of the Olympics, winning three gold medals. In 1988 in Seoul, Salnikov won one more gold.
Soviet and Russian swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion, 21-time European champion Alexander Popov dominated the sport in the 1990s.
Swimming is dynamically developing in Russia now. The progress is boosted by the state support. New swimming pools are being constructed; children and youth sports schools and centres are being opened.
Russia’s top swimmers:
Evgeny Korotyshkin, Olympic silver medallist, World Championships bronze medallist, three-time world short course champion, World Short Course Championships silver medalist, three-time European champion, European Championships silver medalist, European Championships bronze medallist, four-time European Short Course Championships gold medallist, nine-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist, European Short Course Championships bronze medallist;
Danila Izotov, Olympic silver medallist, Olympic Games bronze medallist, three-time World Championships silver medallist, three-time World Championships bronze medallist, world short course champion, four-time World Short Course Championships silver medallist, two-time World Short Course Championships bronze medallist, two-time European champion, four-time European short course champion, three-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist, two-time European Short Course Championships bronze medallist;
Yulia Efimova, Olympic bronze medallist, three-time World Championships silver medallist, World Championships bronze medallist, World Short Course Championships bronze medallist, three-time European champion, two-time European Championships silver medallist, three-time European short course champion;
Vladimir Morozov, Olympic bronze medallist, World Championships silver medallist, World Championships bronze medallist, three-time World Short Course Championships gold medallist, four-time World Short Course Championships silver medallist, European champion, European Championships silver medallist, European Championships bronze medallist, nine-time European Short Course Championships gold medallist, four-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist, European Short Course Championships bronze medallist;
Anastasia Fesikova (Zueva), Olympic silver medallist, world champion, three-time World Championships silver medallist, two-time European champion, two-time European Championships silver medallist, European short course champion, two-time European Short Course Championships silver medallist.
First swimming classes were held in the Republic of Tatarstan in summer 1922 at Lake Kaban and the Kazanka River. In 1966 Tatarstan’s first swimmers Evgeny Ushakov and Zoya Bazhenova were ranked among the top 10 swimmers in the Soviet Union. In 1973, a dream of many generations of Tatarstan swimmers has come true – the first 50-metre swimming pool was opened in Kazan by the Orgsintez Plant.
At present Yana Martynova is the most decorated swimmer in Tatarstan. She’s been competing under the Russian flag since 2000. Achievements: silver medal at the 2007 FINA World Championships, bronze medal at the 2008 European Championships, gold medal at the 2013 Summer Universiade.
Over the past two years, Kazan hosted several swimming events: Russian Swimming Championships (2013), Russian Cup final (2013), and the Summer Universiade whose programme included the swimming tournament (2013).
Motor Comprehensive Children and Youth Sports School, Delta Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve (Kazan), Kasatka Children and Youth Sports School, Ak Bure Children and Youth Sports School, Leader Children and Youth Sports School (Aznakaevo), Aktanyshsky Children and Youth Sports School (village of Aktanysh), Alekseevsky Children and Youth Sports School (Alekseevskoe), Children and Youth Sports School (Almetyevsk), Apastovsky Children and Youth Sports School (Apastovo), Archa Arsky Children and Youth Sports School (Arsk), Bavlinsky Children and Youth Sports School No 2 (Bavly), Fakel Children and Youth Sports School (Bugulma), Yunost Children and Youth Sports School named after E.A. Timerzyanov (Bugulma), Drozhzhanovsky Children and Youth Sports School (Drozhzhannoe Station), Olymp Children and Youth Sports School (Elabuga), Zai Children and Youth Sports School (Zainsk), Dolphin Children and Youth Sports School No 5 (Zelenodolsk), Zilant Kukmorsky Children and Youth Sports School (Kukmor), Laishevsky Comprehensive Children and Youth Sports School (Laishevo), Olymp Mamadyshsky Children and Youth Sports School (Mamadyshsky state farm), Yubileyny Menzelinsky Children and Youth Sports School (Menzelinsk), Olimpiysky Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve (Naberezhnye Chelny), Vityaz Children and Youth Sports School (Naberezhnye Chelny), Dolphin Children and Youth Sports School (Naberezhnye Chelny), Children and Youth Sports School (Nizhnekamsk), Novoshehsminsky Children and Youth Sports School (Novosheshminsk), Nurlatsky Children and Youth Sports School named after G.M. Khusainov (Nurlat), Pestrechinsky Comprehensive Children and Youth Sports School (village of Pestretsy), Rybnoslobodsky Children and Youth Sports School (Rybnaya Sloboda), Olymp Sabinsky Children and Youth Sports School (Bogatye Saby), Sarmanovsky Children and Youth Sports School No 1 (village of Sarmanovo), Olymp Yutazinsky Children and Youth Sports School (Urussu)