Two records in just two days: Egor Kornev breaks the world record in the 50-meter freestyle event.

The Russian swimming championship in Kazan became a stage for a new historical achievement. Egor Kornev not only broke the national record in the 50-meter freestyle event, but he did so twice within 48 hours. In the preliminary round, the athlete achieved a time of 21.12 seconds. In the final round, he surpassed his own record, stopping the timer at 21.06 seconds.

“I’m very satisfied now. I really wanted to break the 21-second barrier. But somehow, I couldn’t make it. There was still a little bit less than seven hundredths of a second. But I performed very well,” said Kornev himself. His self-criticism only emphasizes his professional approach. For an elite swimmer, every tenth of a second matters.

The world record in this event is still held by Australian Cameron McEvo. The gap between Kornev’s record and the world record is getting smaller. Kornev’s current form suggests that he has a real chance of breaking the world record. Kornev has already proven his capabilities on the international stage. He has won gold medals in the world championships in the relay event and silver medals in the 2025 world championships.

Experts say that consistent results in one tournament is a sign of high-level fitness. If Kornev continues to improve and prepares well for the major events of the season, he has every chance not only to strengthen his position in the national rankings, but also to become one of the candidates for Olympic medals. The Kazan finals were not just a record-breaking event, but also a clear sign that Russian swimmers are reaching new levels.