CREATE TABLE table_204_835 (id DECIMAL, "rank" DECIMAL, "lane" DECIMAL, "name" TEXT, "nationality" TEXT, "time" TEXT, "notes" TEXT)

did austria or russia rank higher ?
SELECT "nationality" FROM table_204_835 WHERE "nationality" IN ('austria', 'russia') ORDER BY id LIMIT 1
SELECT "nationality" FROM "table_204_835" WHERE "nationality" IN ('austria', 'russia') ORDER BY "id" NULLS FIRST LIMIT 1