Ilya Shymanovich

World record holder and gold medal winner Ilya Shymanovich is a professional swimmer from Belarus. He has the short course 100 metre breaststroke world record and formerly held the short course 50 metre breaststroke world record. He earned two silver medals at the 2018 World Championships, one in the 50 and one in the 100 metre breaststroke. At the 2021 European Short Course Championships, he won two gold medals—one in the 50-meter breaststroke and one in the 200-meter breaststroke—and one silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke.

At the 2021 World Short Course Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Shymanovich registered to compete in the 50, 100, and 200 metre breaststroke solo events. With a time of 56.20 seconds in the preliminary heats of the 100-meter breaststroke, Shymanovich placed second overall and advanced to the semifinals later that day. He placed third in the semifinals with a 56.54, earning a spot in the next day’s final. In the 100-meter breaststroke final, Shymanovich captured the gold medal in a time that set a new Championships record of 55.70 seconds. Shymanovich’s victory brought him his first world championship.

On the third day of competition, Shymanovich finished tenth overall in the 200-meter breaststroke preliminary heats with a time of 2:04.99, however he was disqualified from the final. In the evening’s final of the 450 metre medley relay, Shymanovich split a 24.93 for the breaststroke leg, assisting in a time of 1:37.97 for fifth place. On day five, Shymanovich placed first in the preliminary heats with a time of 25.77 seconds, qualifying for the 50-meter breaststroke semifinals. With a 25.55, he finished first in the semifinals and advanced to the final. Shymanovich finished fourth in the 50-meter breaststroke final on the sixth and final day with a time of 25.84 seconds.