Salnikov Cup 2024: Day 1 Results

The first day of competition at the XVIII Vladimir Salnikov Cup in Saint Petersburg has concluded. St. Petersburg athletes lead the medal count with 3 golds, 4 silvers, and 2 bronzes in individual events, plus a victory in the mixed relay. Oleg Kostin and Sofya Dyakova currently top the contenders for the “Silver Shark” awards.

The Salnikov Cup commenced on December 19th at the Nevskaya Volna Aquatics Center. At the opening ceremony, four-time Olympic champion and First Vice-President of the Russian Aquatics Federation, Vladimir Salnikov, celebrated the tournament’s 18th edition. He emphasized the significance of showcasing Russia’s top athletes, fresh from their successful World Championship performance, on this anniversary.

World Championship medalists lived up to expectations, securing victories in their respective events. Ilya Borodin won the 400m individual medley, Yegor Kornev triumphed in the 50m freestyle, and Arina Surkova claimed victory in the women’s 50m freestyle. Five-time world champion Miron Lifintsev, alongside Kirill Prigoda, Daria Tatarinova, and Alexandra Kuznetsova, won the mixed 4x50m medley relay for St. Petersburg. Yulia Efimova, another World Championship participant, also secured a win in the 50m breaststroke.

However, some of the highest World Aquatics points were earned by athletes who were less prominent in Hungary. The Salnikov Cup is notable for its high level of competition. Oleg Kostin currently holds the top men’s score for Day 1, narrowly beating Kirill Prigoda in the 50m breaststroke by just four-hundredths of a second. Sofya Dyakova leads the women’s standings after her victory in the 800m freestyle.

Other Day 1 winners included Aleksandr Kudashev (200m butterfly), Anastasia Kolpakova (200m butterfly), Irina Zvyagintseva (400m individual medley), Dmitry Savenko (200m backstroke), Milana Stepanova (200m backstroke), and Daniil Shatalov (400m freestyle).

The competition continues at the Nevskaya Volna Aquatics Center (John Reed Str. 8, Bldg. 2), with a capacity of 1,500 spectators. A total of 41 finals are scheduled, with 13 sets of medals already awarded on Day 1. Fourteen finals will take place on December 20th, and another 14 on the final day.

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