While the world is focused on the Olympic Games in Rio, some of Canada’s toughest competitors who aren’t on the Olympic roster are competing at nationals, where the hype for Rio is just as strong.
At the Kinsmen Sports Centre in Edmonton, Alberta where the Canadian Swimming Championships are being held, tonight’s Olympic 100m butterfly semifinal will be shown on the timing board during tonight’s session.
Due to the overlap in timing, the 100m butterfly semifinals featuring Penny Oleksiak will be taking place during the finals at Canadian Championships, leaving many unable to watch. Oleksiak broke the Canadian and world junior record this morning and is set up to make her first individual Olympic final tonight.
Tonight, depending on how the timing of the semifinal coordinates with the schedule in Edmonton, the meet will be paused before or after the men’s 400m freestyle final in order to show Oleksiak’s semifinals.
It will be announced during the session so that swimmers competing will be able to adjust their timelines accordingly.
Once the session is over, the remainder of tonight’s finals session at the Olympic Games will be shown on the timing board. Emily Overholt will be competing in the 400m IM and is a huge medal hopeful after picking up a bronze in the same event at last year’s world championships.
Canada has potential to medal tonight in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay which will also likely feature Oleksiak. This morning the group of Sandrine Mainville, Chantal Van Landeghem, Michelle Williams, and Taylor Ruck broke the Canadian record en route to finishing third overall in the heats.
Go Canada!!