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
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap
16-year-old Ethan Ekk is climbing the all-time rankings in both Canada and the United States on Monday morning after swimming a 3:53.35 in heats of the men’s 400 free at the Canadian Olympic Trials.
Ekk, who lives in Tallahassee, Florida, is a dual US-Canadian citizen, is racing to represent Canada this week in Toronto, along with his siblings Owen (15) and Bella (18).
That time ranks Ethan as the 17th-best American in age group history of that event and the 2nd-best Canadian behind only Teddy Kalp‘s National Age Group Record of 3:52.45 done at the 2013 World Junior Swimming Championships.
As a dual citizen who has not yet represented either country internationally, Ekk is still eligible to represent both the US and Canada in international competition and therefore is eligible for all-time rankings in both countries.
That time also puts him under the US Olympic Trials standard of 3:55.59, meaning that if he doesn’t make the Canadian Olympic Team, he could now swim this event at the US Olympic Trials in June. He was already eligible for Trials via his 800 free time (8:06.22).
To qualify for the Canadian Olympic Team, swimmers have to be under the FINA “A” standard and one of the top two finishers (or win and be under the FINA “B” standard, though both winning and there being enough room for “B” standard swimmers to get invites from World Aquatics seems unlikely).
If he holds his position, though, it would earn him a spot on the Canadian team for the Junior Pan Pac Championships.
Ekk entered the meet as the 7th seed and jumped up to 3rd in prelims. Ahead of him are Lorne Wigginton (3:50.97) and Eric Brown (3:53.03). The Olympic “A” standard is 3:46.78 and the Olympic “B” standard is 3:47.91. Only one Canadian, Ryan Cochrane, has been under the “A” standard in history, and he retired in 2017.
Wigginton’s best time is 3:49.05.
Owen Ekk, 15, withdrew from prelims of the 400 free, while Bella is scheduled to start her meet in the 200 free on Tuesday.