Chantal Van Landeghem Takes Down Natalie Coughlin, Breaks Canadian Record

Chantal Van Landeghem tugged on the hearts of the home crowd at the Toronto 2015 Pan American games when she took home the first swimming gold, breaking the national record in the process and becoming the first Canadian to ever dip under 54-seconds in the 100m freestyle.

After taking the third seed this morning in the 100 free with a time of 54.31, Van Landeghem was scheduled to swim right next to top seed Natalie Coughlin. After the dive it appeared to be a three way race between herself, Coughlin, and the Bahamas’ Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace.

Vanderpool-Wallace turned in first just ahead of Coughlin with Van Landeghem turning third. After the 50 wall Coughlin regained a lead, and Van Landeghem began to move up on her competitors. With 25-meters to go it was clear that Van Landeghem was in a position to touch first. During the last 10 she pushed and passed Coughlin, clocking in a new Canadian record of 53.83. That time also broke Coughlin’s Pan American games record of 53.85 that she swam in prelims.

Van Landeghem broke Erica Morningstar’s Canadian record of 54.08 that she set all the way back at the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. Not only was it a Canadian record, but Van Landeghem became the first Canadian woman ever to dip under 54-seconds in the 100m freestyle.

For her efforts, Van Landeghem is now ranked 10th in the world this season pushing former 10th place swimmer, Natalie Coughlin, to 11th.

Van Landeghem will be swimming at the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, Russia as well. If she can match the time she swam today, she’ll have a very strong chance of making the final.