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Gabe Mastromatteo Lowers U SPORTS Record In 100 Breast To Open Championships

2022 U SPORTS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

A mix of established names and rookies made an impact during the opening session of the 2022 U SPORTS Swimming Championships in Quebec, highlighted by a record swim from University of Toronto first-year Gabe Mastromatteo.

Mastromatteo set a new U SPORTS record in the men’s 100 breaststroke, clocking 59.00 to break the previous mark of 59.07 set by former University of Alberta star Nick Kostiuk in 2017. The swim fell just shy of Mastromatteo’s personal best, a 58.97 from the 2019 Ontario Junior International meet.

Two other first-year swimmers were on fire and within striking distance of Mastromatteo, as UBC’s Justice Migneault (59.07) and Lethbridge’s Apollo Hess (59.13) sit second and third heading into finals.

Both men lowered their best times set earlier this season at the Canada West Championships, where Migneault won the title in 59.25 and Hess was a close second in 59.36.

Among the other standout performers from Thursday morning was University of Calgary rookie Rebecca Smith and McGill University third-year Clement Secchi, who qualified for two ‘A’ finals apiece and combined for three #1 seeds.

Smith led the way in the women’s 100 fly (59.53) and advanced second in the 200 free, clocking 1:59.01 to trail UBC rookie Emma O’Croinin (1:57.12). Smith is the Canadian Record holder in 1:52.24 and set the U SPORTS record of 1:54.85 back in 2019.

Secchi grabbed the top seed in the men’s 200 free (1:46.30) and 100 fly (51.36), nearing the U SPORTS record of 51.19 in the latter. Both swims were new lifetime bests for Secchi, who won three gold medals (50 back, 50 fly, 100 fly) at the 2020 championships that featured long course finals (this year will be SCM for prelims and finals).

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

  • UBC fifth-year Danielle Hanus qualified first in the women’s 50 back by 1.25 seconds with a time of 26.51, nearing Kylie Masse‘s U SPORTS record of 26.15 set in 2018. Hanus is the defending champion.
  • Joining the onslaught of first-years that had strong performances was Laval’s Arthur Millet (24.25) and UBC’s Tayden De Pol (24.29), who advanced 1-2 into the men’s 50 back final.
  • Tokyo Olympian Kelsey Wog cruised to the top time in the women’s 100 breast heats in a time of 1:07.61.
  • Two more rookie swimmers, UBC’s Emma Spence and Toronto’s Jacob Gallant, absolutely dominated the 400 IM prelims. Spence advanced first into the women’s final in a time of 4:42.08, five seconds clear of the field, while Gallant clocked 4:08.39 in the men’s race to hold an eight-second advantage over the next-fastest competitor.

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GO Kingfish
2 years ago

I wonder if there are guys in the ncaa who would be close to this

Yuppers
Reply to  GO Kingfish
2 years ago

That time would not even be CLOSE to qualifying for NCAA. That’s like a 54 yards time – get real.

Rap
Reply to  Yuppers
2 years ago

i bet it would convert to more like 52 or 53 yards.

iliveforthis
Reply to  GO Kingfish
2 years ago

For context, the Canadian record holder went a 57.1 SCM and won NCAAs in 2008 with a 52.0 SCY. The top NCAA guys (Max McHugh, Reece Whitley, Caspar Corbeau, etc.) would all be swimming a 55 or 56 second 100 Breast in SCM as they are all 50 point SCY.

Tommy Schmitt
Reply to  iliveforthis
2 years ago

No way corbeau or whitley would swim below 56 in SCM …

MTK
Reply to  GO Kingfish
2 years ago

There are very few swimmers in USports (male or female) who could even qualify for NCAA Championships. Rebecca Smith, Kelsey Wog, a few others at most.

Last edited 2 years ago by MTK
Hi dad
Reply to  MTK
2 years ago

Theres a lot of Canadian’s who’d do well in the NCAA not a lot of them are swimming usports though. However you have to keep in mind that all conversions are WAYYY off. All 3 men in the 100 br would have made a second swim at NCAA’s

MTK
Reply to  Hi dad
2 years ago

Yeah, I did specifically say USports, as I know the talent pool there is a pretty depleted by a lot of the elites training at National Centres rather than swimming varsity. Canada has had plenty of female NCAA medallists/finallists etc over the years, but really not many male at all. Guys like Funk, Acevedo, Bagshaw that did well in the NCAA are pretty rare, and there is usually a pretty sizable gap between the top 5-10 guys in Canadian swimming, and everyone else, so I would stand by the statement that not many Canadian men could see big success in Div 1.

Last edited 2 years ago by MTK
Swim mom
Reply to  MTK
2 years ago

Why, do you guys think, U Sport championship is so much weaker than NCAA?

Reid
Reply to  GO Kingfish
2 years ago

To be fair to Mastromatteo, his LC time of 1:00.11 is faster than most of the guys currently at NCAAs can go. U Sports seems like an afterthought for most of the top level Canadians

Former Big10
2 years ago

That torso is dummy thick

NornIron Swim
Reply to  Former Big10
2 years ago

Marco Koch has entered the chat.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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