2021 Canadian Trials: Ruck And Pratt Just Miss A Cuts During 200 Back Prelims

2021 CANADIAN OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

• June 19 – June 23, 2021
• Toronto, Ontario
• Toronto Pan Am Sport Centre
• Long Course Meters (50m)
• Olympic Qualifying Event
• Swimming Canada Olympic Selection Criteria
• Meet Package
• Psych Sheets
• Live results

After breaking the 100 backstroke national record earlier this week, Kylie Masse returned on the final day of racing at the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials with a 2:09.30 200 backstroke prelim swim.

Masse looked pretty comfortable during the race and will be expected to swim a bit faster during the finals, hoping to get closer to the 2:05.94 Canadian record that she swam at the 2019 Canadian World Championship Trials. Masse already has a spot on the team in the event and will be racing both the 100 and 200 backstroke in Tokyo.

Having already qualified to race the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke, Taylor Ruck will have a shot during the finals to add the 200 backstroke to her event lineup in Tokyo. Ruck swam a 2:11.46 prelims which is 5 seconds slower than her 2:06.36 PB from the Atlanta stop of the 2018 Pro Swim Series. In order to qualify, Ruck will need to be a little bit faster than she was in the prelims as the FINA A cut sits at a 2:10.39.

Ruck will have to hold off Ingrid Wilm who has qualified in 3rd place for the final with a 2:13.33, Ella Varga who was a 2:13.61 for 4th, Mabel Zavaros who swam a 2:14.62 for 5th, among others.

Women’s 200 Backstroke Prelims – Top 10

On the men’s side, 100 backstroke Cole Pratt led the field with his 1:58.97 prelim swim to trail his PB of 1:57.96 and well as the 1:57.50 FINA A. Pratt posted that 1:57.96 just last month at a time trial at home in Calgary, getting within 1 second of Markus Thormeyer‘s 1:56.96 2019 Canadian record. Thormeyer is already qualified to race the 200 in Tokyo and decided to scratch the race at Trials.

Thormeyer’s pre-selection means that only the top finisher in the final will be named to the team, assuming they get under the FINA A. Pratt’s biggest competition for that top spot will be Ritchie Stokes who delivered a 1:59.87 best time during the heats which marked his first time under 2:00 in the event.

Men’s 200 Backstroke Prelims – Top 10