2024 Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Trials: Day 2 Prelims Live Recap

2024 CANADIAN OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC TRIALS

• May 13-19, 2024
• Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre – Toronto, Ontario
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• Swimming Canada Olympic Selection Criteria
• Psych Sheets (Updated 05/10)
• Live Results
• Prelims – Day 1 Recap
• Finals – Day 1 Recap

Day 2 Prelims Heat Sheet

Steam courtesy of CBC

Day 2 Schedule

• Men’s Open 400 IM
• Women’s Open 200 Free
• Men’s Open 100 Back
• Women’s Open 100 Breast
• Women’s Para 100 Breast (SB4-SB9, SB11-SB14)
• Men’s Para 100 Breast (SB4-SB9, SB11-SB14)

Bonjour Hi, mes amis. This morning’s session of the 2024 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Trials is about to get underway.

After scratching out of the 400 free A-final last night, Lorne Wiggington returns to the pool this morning as the top seed in the 400 IM. The High Performance Center – Ontario swimmer is entered with a time of 4:12.81 and is just .31 shy of the Olympic Qualify Time of 4:12.50. Wiggington, who has committed to swim for the University of Michigan this fall, placed 7th at the 2024 Doha Worlds in a time of 4:14.98. Pushing Wiggington and looking to make some time drops are Collyn Gagne and Tristan Jankovics, who are entered with seed times of 4:16.08 and 4:17.40.

The creme de la creme event of the morning is the women’s 200 free, where competition is thick for not only individual berths but also the 4×200 free relay. The Canadian women have a strong tradition of excellence in the event, having won bronze in the event at the 2016 Rio Games and finishing an agonizing 4th at the 2020 Tokyo Games, albeit in a new National Record. Three-quarters of that relay are present in the field with lead off swimmer, Summer McIntosh occupying the top seed.

McIntosh, who has already booked her ticket to Paris in last night’s 400 free, is entered with a time of 1:53.65. Also appearing from the relay in the entries is the #3 seed, Rebecca Smith, and we will get our first look at Penny Oleksiak. Oleksiak, the co-gold medalist in the 10o free from Rio and the bronze medalist in the 200 free from Tokyo, is the #9 seed. Oleksiak, who has struggled of late with a knee injury, is looking to make a comeback to the international stage. Both Smith and Oleksiak will have to get around Mary-Sophie Harvey, however. She has also booked her ticket to Paris by virtue of a surprising 2nd place in last night’s 100 fly, and her entry time of 1:56.76 is half a second under the OQT, so she should be in line to add a second individual event.

Long a member of the 4×200 free relay, Taylor Ruck has scratched out of the event, you can read more about that here.

The 100 back affords the Canadian men their first on-paper individual ticket to Paris (hopefully, I didn’t jinx it). Top seed Blake Tierney is entered with a time of 53.65, the first Canadian man to have a time under the OQT (53.74). Should he be able to replicate that time, which was achieved leading off Canada’s 4×100 Medley relay at the 2024 Worlds, Tierney would make his first Olympic team. On the opposite end of the experience list, looking to make his third team in Javier Acevedo. Acevedo is entered with a time of 53.83 and is less than a tenth off of the OQT.

The women’s 100 breast will be a tight affair as the event is starting to have an upward trajectory as three women are already entered with times under the OQT of 1:06.79. Leading the pack is Alexanne Lepage (1:06.58) who will have a tough task in holding off Shona Branton (1:06.59) and Sophie Angus (1:06.66). With veterans Kelsey Wog and Sydney Pickrem in the mix, as well as the 4th and 5th seeds, the 100 breast will surely be a competitive event, not only for relay berths but also for both individual roster spots.

MEN’S 400 IM– Prelims

• World Record: 4:02.50– Leon Marchand, FRA (2023)
• Canadian Record: 4:11.41 – Brian Johns (2008)
• 2021 Champion: Collyn Gagne – 4:18.65
• OLY Qualifying/Consideration Standards: 4:12.50/4:13.76

Top 10

1. Tristan Jankovics (RCAQ) – 4:15.68
2. Lorne Wigginton (HPCON) – 4:19.74
3. Eric Brown (PCSC) – 4:20.02
4. Collyn Gagne (LOSC) – 4:20.18
5. Benjamin Cote (KSC) – 4:23.43
6. Jordi Vilchez (BTSC) – 4:25.77
7. Carter Scheffel (BRANT) – 4:27.20
8. Jacob Gallant (FAST) – 4:27.20
9. Sebastian Gonzalez Barboza (CAMO) – 4:29.58
10. Eduard-Daniel Rusu (CAMO) – 4:30.29

Leading up to the circle-seeded heats was Jordan Schaepper, who posted a time of 4:34.21 out of the third heat. Schaepper dropped nearly a full three seconds off of his seed time of 4:37.03. He used a strong freestyle leg to pull away from Alexandre Yazedjian, who finished .4 behind.

The first of two circle-seeded heats saw last night’s runner-up in the 400 free, Eric Brown, battle it out for the win with Collyn Gagne. Both were a little slower than their entry times as Brown touched in 4:20.02 and Gagne in 4:20.18, just .16 behind. Gagne had a lead over two seconds at the 300, but Brown used his freestyle prowess and surged home in 58.30 to pass Gagne in the closing meters.

The last heat was a little unexpected as the top seed Lorne Wigginton was upset. Taking it to him was Tristan Jankovics. The OSU Buckeye, who just finished up his sophomore year with an 8th-place finish in the 400-yard IM, swam a new personal best this morning, stopping the wall in 4:15.68. Jankovics was .03 ahead of Wigginton at the halfway mark but used a speedy 1:11.86 breast leg to gain a led of over two seconds and just built that lead to take top billing tonight by over four seconds.

Wigginton, who touched in 4:19.74, was well off his times from Doha, where he finished 7th, but may have strategically decided to shut it down over the back half of the race to conserve energy for tonight. His personal best of 4:12.81, courtesy of his bronze medal performance at the Junior Worlds, is just .31 off the OQT.

Women’s 200 Freestyle– Prelims

• World Record: 1:52.85 – Mollie O’Callaghan, AUS (2023)
• Canadian Record: 1:53.65 – Summer McIntosh (2023)
• 2021 Champion: Summer McIntosh – 1:56.19
• OLY Qualifying/Consideration Standards: 1:57.26/1:57.85

Top 10

1. Summer McIntosh (UNCAN) – 1:56.78
2. Mary-Sophie Harvey (CAMO) – 1:57.65
3. Julie Brousseau (NKB) – 1:58.25
4. Ella Jansen (HPCON) – 1:58.87
5. Emma O’Croinin (HPCVN) – 1:59.15
6. Sylvia Statkevicius (ESWIM) – 1:59.13 *International swimmer
7. Sienna Angove (UNCAN) – 1:59.22
8. Rebecca Smith (CASC) – 1:59.35
9. Brooklyn Southwright (CNBO) – 1:59.40
10. Penny Oleksiak (TSC) – 2:00.16
11. Katerine Savard (CNQ) – 2:00.55

Madison Kryger demonstrated some outside smoke taking heat 4 and the top time this morning far with a time of 2:02.82. Kryger, who is just 15, dropped a massive personal best, taking two and a half seconds off her entry time of 2:05.37. Kryger started out very fast, splitting 59.22 at the halfway mark, but started to falter towards the end as Raphaelle Tremblay nearly caught her, hitting the wall in 2:03.13.

The first of the circle seed heat was a tight affair. Olympian Rebecca Smith put last night’s disappointing 3rd place finish in the 100 fly behind her, cruising to the wall in 1:59.35. It as a tight affair as at the 150 mark, Brooklyn Douthwright had a lead of .3, but was ultimately passed by Smith and finished just .05 behind at 1:59.40. Tokyo bronze medalist in this event, Penny Oleksiak made her first appearance of the trials and finished 3rd in the heat with a time of 2:00.16, a time that puts her into a precarious position as there are two more heat behind her yet to swim.

Carrying over the success of last night’s Olympic ticket-punching swim in the 100 fly, Mary-Sophie Harvey looked smooth and relaxed at the 100 mark, hitting the wall in 59.46, but back-halfed the hell out of the race, coming home in 58.19, negative splitting the race by over a full second to hit the wall in 1:57.65. Julie Brousseau, who led at the 100 by nearly two seconds (57.50) claimed 2nd in the heat with a time of 1:58.25. Multi-time Olympian Katerine Savard was just 2:00.55 and nervously must await, like Oleksiak, the results of the last heat.

Summer McIntosh easily cleared the field and the OQT, posting a time of 1:56.78. While well off her Canadian record of 1:53.65, McIntosh should easily be able to replicate or better that time tonight. McIntosh went out in 56.40 and came home in 1:00.38, showing that she may have slowed things down on the backhalf. Ella Jansen put herself into contention for a relay berth tonight as she finished second behind McIntosh, hitting the wall in 1:58.87, a little off her entry time of 1:58.09.

Due to international swimmers not being allowed to enter the A-final, Savard, who finished 11th overall, will occupy lane 9 tonight on the opposite side of the pool as Oleksiak, who finished 10th overall.

MEN’S 100 Backstroke– Prelims

• World Record: 51.60 – Thomas Ceccon, ITA (2022)
• Canadian Record: 53.35 – Markus Thormeyer (2019)
• 2021 Champion: Markus Thormeyer – 53.40
• OLY Qualifying/Consideration Standards: 53.74/54.01

Top 10

1. Blake Tierney (GOLD/HPCVN) – 53.93
2. Aiden Norman (UCSC) – 54.16
3. Raben Dommann (HPCVN) – 54.26
4. Javier Acevedo (AJAX/HPCON) – 54.42
5. Cole Pratt (CASC) – 55.83
6. Paul Dardis (UCSC) – 55.88
7. Andrew Herman (TSC) – 55.91
8. Parker Deshayes (CASC) – 56.00
9. Matthew Driscoll (UNCAN) – 56.04
10. Benjamin Winterborn (KBM) – 56.11

The men’s 100 back did not disappoint as four swimmers sit within a second of the Olympic Qualifying Time of 53.74. Leading the pack is Blake Tierney, who has already been under that time this year. Tierney touched first in the last heat to take over the top time from Raben Dommann (54.26). Tierney, the only swimmer under 54.00, by virtue of his 53.93, will have to fend off the Aiden Norman, who dropped an impressive .61 of a second off his entry time.

Javier Acevedo, a two-time Olympian, was a little off his entry time this morning, hitting the wall in 54.42, but is still in contention for the Olympic roster spot if he shaves the mustache.

WOMEN’S 100 Breaststroke– Prelims

• World Record: 1:04.13 – Lilly King, USA (2017)
• Canadian Record: 1:05.74 – Annamay Pierse (2009)
• 2021 Champion: Kelsey Wog – 1:06.77
• OLY Qualifying/Consideration Standards: 1:06.79/1:07.12

Top 10

1. Sophie Angus (HPCON) – 1:07.02
2. Kelsey Wog (UMAN) – 1:07.12
3. Shona Branton (WES) – 1:07.23
4. Sydney Pickrem (TSC) – 1:07.29
5. Alexanne Lepage (UCSC) – 1:07.32
6. Katja Pavicevic (TSC) – 1:08.95
7. Avery Wiseman (OSC) – 1:09.25
8. Kathryn Ivanoc (LAC) – 1:09.86
9. Ashley McMillan (GO/HPCON) – 1:09.90
10. Nina Kucheran (SLSC) – 1:09.96

Demonstrating the depth of the event, we didn’t get to the circle-seeded heats until heat 7. Through this point, the top time belonged to Shima Taghavi. Taghavi, who is just 12 (again just 12) posted a time of 1:11.47. Swimming out of lane 9, Taghavi dropped over a second from her entry time of 1:12.65. Her swim brings her within a second of the 11-12 Age Group record of 1:10.94, which was set back in 1986 by Allison Higson.

Out in 31.55, Sophie Angus, the #3 seed, cruised into the wall in a strong 1:07.02. One of three swimmers who have entry times under the OQT, Angus easily won the heat, finishing 1.93 over Katja Pavicevic.

The penultimate heat was a tight affair between Shona Branton and Sydney Pickrem. Branton was .02 behind at the halfway point (31.70) but managed to pull ahead of Pickrem at the finish to take the heat in 1:07.23. Pickrem, who is more known as an IMer and 200 breaststroke swimmer, was just behind in 1:07.29.

Sophie Angus‘s time from heat 7 was fast enough to hold onto the top spot tonight as the last heat winner, Kelsey Wog, finished in a time of 1:07.12. Wog, who won the event at the 2021 Olympic Trials, was out in 32.07, the slowest of the top five, but showed off her 200 strength to come home in a swift 35.05. Behind Wog was the top seed Alexanne Lepage, who touched just .2 behind in 1:07.32. Lepage, who entered with a time of 1:06.58, will have her work cut out for her as there are four swimmers ahead of her in the field.

Women’s 100 Breaststroke Para – Prelims

• Canadian Para Records
  • SB5: 2:01.19 – Valerie Drapeau (2017)
  • SB6: 1:42.80 – Camille Berube (2021)
  • SB7: 1:31.31 – Tess Routliffe (2024)
  • SB8: 1:19.44 – Katarina Roxon (2016)
  • SB9: 1:16.93 – Jessica Sloan (2000)
  • SB13: 1:17.12 – Kirby Cote (2002)
  • SB14: 1:24.04 – Justine Morrier (2018)

Top 10

1. Tess Routliffe SB7 (UL/CHPQI) – 1:31.81 (992 pts)
2. Katarina Roxon SB8 (AASC) – 1:26.79 (849 pts)
3. Abi Tripp SB7 (CNQ) – 1:40.39  (791 pts)
4. Yang Tan SB6 (OAK) – 1:43.02 (785 pts)
5. Maxine Lavitt   (UMAN) – 1:26.30  (670 pts)
6. Shelby Newkirk SB13 (LASER) – 2:02.04 (635 pts)
7. Ruby Stevens SB5 (RCAQ) – 2:07.20 (574 pts)
8. Mary Jibb SB9 (MUSAC) – 1:32.21  (538 pts)
9. Emma Van Dyk SB14 (BROCK) – 1:33.29 (532 pts)
10. Ella Tucker SB5 (MTA) – 2:14.30 (503 pts)

All the swimmers in the event will make it back to finals, as there were only ten competitors this morning, but leading the way will be Tess Routliffe, whose time of 1:31.81 was the top points earner. Routliffe was the only swimmer to break the 900 points barrier and will be looking to break her own national record of 1:31.51.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke Para – Prelims

• Canadian Para Records
  • SB8: 1:23.12 – Joseph Barker (2010)
  • SB9: 1:08.56 – James Leroux (2019)
  • SB14: 1:04.41 – Nicholas Bennett (2023)

Top Three

1. Nicholas Bennett SB14 (RDCSC) – 1:04.43 (1017 pts)
2. James Leroux SB9 (UL/CHPQI) – 1:14.10 (757 pts)
3. Fernando Lu SB9 (LOSC) – 1:14.79 (738 pts)

Only three swimmers took part in the Men’s Para 100 breaststroke, but it was Nicholas Bennett who stormed to the win in a time of 1:04.43. Bennett was a tantalizing .02 away from equalling his own Canadian record of 1:04.41. With his time this morning earning 1017 points, Bennett should be in good standing, should he replicate his success tonight, to make the Paris Para team.