From 26 to 31 March, the capital of the Republic of Mari El, Yoshkar-Ola, hosted the Russian Championship and the All-Russian Children’s and Youth Swimming Competitions. A total of 223 athletes aged 10 to 18 from 39 regions of the Russian Federation participated, including 19 representatives from the Republic of Belarus.
The opening ceremony was attended by Sergei Mukhortov, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Mari El; Yuri Seldyukov, Head of Deaf Sports in the Republic of Mari El; Ekaterina Boyko, Acting Chair of the local regional branch of the All-Russian Society of the Deaf; and Maria Merzlikina, Deputy Head of the Sports Department of the OSFSG.
Over four intense days, the young swimmers competed in all declared disciplines: freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, individual medley, and relays. While the Russian Championship featured a single age category (10–18 years), the Open Children and Youth Tournament was divided into five age groups: 10–11, 12–13, 14–15, and 16–17 years, with Belarusian athletes also taking part. This structure provided a valuable opportunity for competitors to showcase their skills against peers of the same age.
In the medley relays, Moscow teams dominated, while in individual events, swimmers from non-capital regions often claimed victory—a testament to the high level of training across the country. Participants praised the event’s organization and competitive atmosphere.
Coming soon: From 18 to 25 April, the same aquatic arena will host the Russian Deaf Sports Championship in swimming, promising another exciting display of talent.
Text: Maria Mazhenina, Artemii Antonov, Nurlan Tazhigulov
Photo: Ekaterina Novikova
Translation: Daria Kudelina
В Йошкар-Оле завершился чемпионат России по плаванию, в котором приняли участие 142 пловца из 27 регионов России, в том числе, а также спортсмены из Республики Беларусь.
