May 18, 2024
The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell, at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre continued on Friday, May 17th as the meet entered day 5 of 7 days. The meet continues to add new records to the books and additional Olympic and Paralympic qualifiers.
In the Para 50m Backstroke event, national record holder Nikita Ens won the final in 1:11.60, while fellow S3 swimmer Aly Van Wyck-Smart finished a couple seconds behind in 1:13.64. Ens aims to break 1:10 again at the Paris Paralympics after placing 9th in Tokyo.
In the S4 50m backstroke event, Sebastian Massabie (Pacific Sea Wolves) set the Canadian record in the prelims with a 53.74, though he was slightly slower in the final at 55.32.
In the 100m Freestyle event, Canada’s most decorated Olympian Penny Oleksiak narrowly missed the Olympic ‘A’ cut by just .05 seconds with her victory in 53.66, but punched her ticket to her third Olympics on Canada’s 4×100 free relay thanks to her top-4 finish along with Mary-Sophie Harvey, Brooklyn Douthwright, and Taylor Ruck. Harvey dipped under 54 seconds for the first time.
Blake Tierney dropped more than two seconds to win the 200m Backstroke in 1:56.74, under both the Olympic ‘A’ cut and the Canadian record. Hugh McNeill (UBC) touched within a second of the ‘A’ cut in second, while Aiden Norman and Ethan Ekk tied for third.
In the 200m Breaststroke, Sydney Pickrem came from behind to edge out Kelsey Wog by just .01 seconds as both swimmers finished under the Olympic ‘A’ cut. Pickrem is headed to her third Olympics, while Wog will compete at her second.
Shima Taghavi broke her own 200m Breaststroke Canadian Record for the 11 – 12 women while swimming in the A Final at the meet.
Ilya Kharun qualified for his first Olympics by winning the 200m Butterfly in 1:54.41, ranking 3rd in the world this season. He aims to beat Leon Marchand and finish in the top 3 in Paris.
In the 200m IM Para events, Tess Routliffe crushed the Canadian SM7 record, while Danielle Dorris had a strong SM7 swim.
Nicholas Bennett also broke the Canadian and World records in the SM14 classification.
Swim BC results:
A Finals
Men’s Para 50 Back Gold Sebastian Massabie, PSW (55.32)
Women’s 100 Free 8th Danielle Hanus, RAPID/HPC VAN (55.44)
Men’s 200 Back SILVER Hugh McNeill, UBCT/LOSC (1:58.49)
Men’s 200 Back 5th Raben Dommann, HPC VAN (2:00.02)
Men’s 200 Back 9th Thomas Caruso, SPART/SFU (2:04.21)
Women’s 200 Breast 9th Shima Taghavi, HYACK (2:32.60)
Men’s 200 Fly 8th Bill Dongfang, ISC (2:00.60)
Men’s Para 200 IM 4th Fernando Lu, LOSC (2:20.30)
Junior Finals
Women’s 100 Free 6th Leilani Fack, LOSC (56.35)
Men’s 200 Back 7th Paul Orogo, LOSC (2:05.85)
Men’s 200 Back 8th David Maibaum, RAPID (2:07.19)
Women’s 200 Breast 2nd Danielle Barberie, NRST (2:33.58)
Women’s 200 Breast 6th Macey Larson, LOSC (2:37.47)
Men’s 200 Fly 1st Aiden Kirk, KAJ (2:02.61)
Men’s 200 Fly 2nd Tristan Govier, HST (2:03.33)
Men’s 200 Fly 4th Zachary McLeod, WDSC (2:04.27)
Men’s 200 Fly 7th Jihoon Bae, LOSC (2:06.25)
May 17, 2024
The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell continued on Thursday, day four of the 7-day competition.
Summer McIntosh shattered her own world record in the women’s 400m individual medley, clocking an incredible 4:24.38. The 17-year-old phenomenon split 59.18 on fly, 1:07.12 on back, 1:17.13 on breast, and 1:00.95 on free, showing most improvement on her breaststroke leg.
Josh Liendo matched his lifetime best of 47.55 to win the men’s 100m freestyle, ranking him 3rd in the world this season. Yuri Kisil (48.19) and Finlay Knox (48.29) also finished under the Olympic ‘A’ cut, earning themselves Olympic nominations.
Kylie Masse punched her ticket to a 3rd Olympic Games by winning the women’s 200m backstroke in 2:06.24, well under the ‘A’ standard. Regan Rathwell qualified for her first Olympics with a personal best 2:09.38.
In Paralympic events, Aurelie Rivard accumulated the most points in the women’s 100m freestyle S10 with her 1:00.19 effort. Shelby Newkirk lowered the S6 Canadian record to 1:13.68 with her runner-up finish.
Sebastian Massabie narrowly missed his own S4 Canadian record of 1:24.85, touching in 1:25.07 in the men’s 100m freestyle Para event, making the Paralympic nomination time. Reid Maxwell set a new S8 Canadian mark of 1:00.23 to place second.
No one cracked the Olympic ‘A’ cut in the men’s 800m freestyle, but 18-year-old Timothe Barbeau won in an encouraging 8:00.61, dropping over 4 seconds off his previous best time.
In the morning swim of the 400 IM, HYACK swimmer Shima Taghavi broke the provincial 11 – 12 year record, swimming a 5:04.66.
A Finals
Women’s 200 Back 4th Bridget Burton, UBCT/ISC (2:12.14)
Men’s Para 100 Free Gold Sebastian Massabie, PSW (1:25.07)
Men’s Para 100 Free 5th Fernando Lu, LOSC (56.77)
Men’s 800 Free 3rd Aiden Kirk, KAJ (8:11.93)
Junior Finals
Women’s 400 IM 1st Naomi Mynott, WDSC (4:56.39)
Women’s 400 IM 2nd Ashley Ko, LOSC (4:57.61)
Women’s 400 IM 6th Ziyuh Liu, CDSC (5:04.61)
Men’s 100 Free 10th River He, RAPID (52.62)
Women’s 200 Back 6th Calli Saunders, SPART (2:18.72)
Men’s 800 Free 4th Zachary McLeod, WDSC (3:22.93)
Men’s 800 Free 9th Danny Park, LOSC (8:40.39)
May 15, 2024
Day 3 of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell, at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.
Kylie Masse solidified her spot for her third Olympic Games by qualifying in the 100m backstroke event. Masse’s experience and success on the grand stage will be invaluable for the Canadian team.
In the same event, Ingrid Wilm secured a remarkable second-place finish with a time of 59.31, virtually guaranteeing her first Olympic nomination
The 200m freestyle saw a quartet of athletes, Alex Axon, Patrick Hussey, Lorne Wigginton, and Jeremy Bagshaw (Island Swimming) – qualify for potential nomination to the 4 X 200m freestyle relay team with their top four finishes. While relay-only spots are yet to be confirmed, Bagshaw’s perseverance over his decade-long national team tenure could culminate his well-deserved Olympic debut.
In the Para events, Sebastian Massabie (Pacific Sea Wolves) etched his name in the record books, breaking the SM4 Canadian Record in the Men’s Para Individual Medley with a time of 3:00.34.
Additionally, Julia Strojnowski (Langley Olympian Swim Club) and Kelly Choi (Kelowna AquaJets) were honored with the $1,500 Victor Davis Memorial Award during the evening finals session.
The Swim BC results included:
A Finals
Men’s 200 Free 4th Jeremy Bagshaw, ISC (1:48.49)
Women’s 100 Back 7th Danialle Hanus, RAPID/HPC VAN (1:01.20)
Men’s 200 Breast Bronze Justice Migneault, HPC VAN (2:13.52)
Men’s 200 Breast 6th Justin Jung, LOSC (2:17.82)
Men’s Para 150 IM Gold Sebastian Massabie SM4, PSW (3:00.75)
Junior Finals
Men’s 200 Free 6th Aiden Kirk, KAJ (1:53.75)
Women’s 100 Back 7th Natascha Borromeo, WVOSC (1:03.89)
Women’s 100 Back 9th Calli Saunders, SPART (1:04.09)
Men’s 200 Breast 5th Kia Namba, ISC (2:23.41)
Men’s 200 Breast 6th Evan Vellescig, HYACK (2:24.12)
1500 Free Timed Finals
Senior Top 10
Women’s 1500 Free Silver Julia Strojnowski, LOSC (16:42.99)
Women’s 1500 Free 9th Michelle Zeng, WVOSC (17:26.37)
Junior Top 10
Women’s 1500 Free Gold Julia Strojnowski, LOSC (16:42.99)
Women’s 1500 Free 6th Michelle Zeng, WVOSC (17:26.37)
Women’s 1500 Free 9th Naomi Mynott, WDSC (17:29.04)
May 15, 2024
2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell: Day 2 Highlights
The second day of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre did not disappoint.
Tristan Jankovics made a splash in the men’s 400m individual medley. He won the event in 4:11.74, dipping under the Olympic Qualifying Time of 4:12.50. Jankovics becomes the first Canadian male swimmer to qualify for the Olympics in this event since 2012. His remarkable swim ranks 11th in the world this season.
In the men’s 100m backstroke, Blake Tierney (HPC Vancouver) secured his first Olympic berth with a winning time of 53.48, also an Olympic Qualifying Time. Javier Acevedo followed closely in second, clocking 53.55 to make his third Olympic team.
Among the women, Summer McIntosh and Mary-Sophie Harvey achieved Olympic Qualifying Times in the 200m freestyle. McIntosh’s 1:53.69 is the second-fastest time in the world this year, while Harvey’s personal best of 1:55.44 set a new Quebec provincial record.
Julie Brousseau narrowly missed the Olympic Qualifying Time in the 400m freestyle but earned a spot on Canada’s 4x200m freestyle relay with her personal best of 1:57.60. Emma O’Croinin (HPC Vancouver) also secured a relay position.
In the women’s 100m breaststroke, Sophie Angus touched first in 1:06.96, securing spot for the medley relay.
Notably, Shima Taghavi (Hyack Swim Club) broke the girls’ 11-12 long course meters 100m breaststroke Canadian Age Group record, clocking 1:10.78 in the finals, a record that was held by Allison Higson from the Commonweath Games in 1986.
Swim BC Results included:
A Finals
Men’s 400 IM Bronze Collyn Gagne, LOSC (4:11.69)
Women’s 200 Free 4th Emma O’Croionin, HPC VAN (1:57.86)
Men’s 100 Back 4th Raben Dommann, HPC VAN (54.06)
Men’s Para 100 Breast Bronze Fernando Lu, LOSC (1:12.87)
Junior Finals
Men’s 400 IM 3rd Tuja Dreyer, ISC (4:26.50)
Men’s 400 IM 4th Aiden Kirk, KAJ (4:32.62)
Men’s 400 IM 10th Zachary McLeod, WDSC (4:41.32)
Women’s 200 Free 7th Leilani Fack, LOSC (2:03.20)
Men’s 100 Back 2nd Paul Orogo, LOSC (57.12)
Men’s 100 Back 4th Tristan Govier, HST (58.58)
Women’s 100 Breast 3rd Shima Taghavi, HYACK (1:10.78)
May 14, 2024
The 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell, commenced on May 13th at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Multiple Swim BC athletes delivered standout performances on the opening day of competition.
17-year-old Summer McIntosh (Sarasota Sharks) became the first swimmer to earn a nomination status for the Paris Olympics. McIntosh won the women’s 400m freestyle in a world-leading time of 3:59.06, securing her spot on her second Olympic team.
In the men’s 400m freestyle, Jeremy Bagshaw (Island Swimming) finished third with a time of 3:52.87, positioning himself well for his fifth Olympic Trials appearance.
Maggie MacNeil (London Aquatic Club) and Mary-Sophie Harvey (Montreal Aquatic Club) qualified for Paris in the 100m butterfly. MacNeil’s winning time of 56.61 tied her for eighth in the world this season, securing her chance to defend her Olympic gold medal.
Finlay Knox (Scarborough / HPC Vancouver) won the men’s 100m breaststroke in a lifetime best of 1:00.66, putting him in contention for nomination to the men’s 4x100m medley relay.
On the Paralympic side, Sebastian Massibie (Pacific Sea Wolves) broke the World Record in the S4 50m butterfly preliminary with a time of 38.68.
The Swim BC swimmers raced well, earning 14 spots in the A and Junior finals with 6 medals to show for their efforts.
A Finals
Men’s 400 Free Bronze Jeremy Bagshaw, ISC (3:52.87)
Women’s 400 Free Bronze Julia Strojnowska, LOSC (4:11.08)
Men’s Para 50 Fly Silver Sebatian Massibie S4, PSW (39.68)
Men’s Para 100 Fly Silver Fernando Lu S10, LOSC (59.35)
Women’s 100 Fly 4th Danielle Hanus, RAPID/HPCVN (58.87)
Women’s 100 Fly 6th Leilani Fack, LOSC (59.44)
Men’s 100 Breast 6th Justice Migneault, HPCVN (1:01.75)
Junior Finals
Men’s 400 Free Bronze Aiden Kirk, KAJ (3:58.18)
Women’s 400 Free Bronze Ashley Ko, LOSC (4:20.97)
Women’s 400 Free 7th Michelle Zeng, WVOSC (4:26.99)
Women’s 400 Free 9th Maria Saldana Riebeling, CDSC (4:28.58)
Women’s 100 Fly 9th Paige Korbely, HYACK (1:02)
Men’s 100 Breast 7th Justin Jung, LOSC (1:05.29)
Men’s 100 Breast 9th Ivan Sun, VPSC (1:05.90)
