Gabe Mastromatteo Sets U SPORTS Record On Opening Night of 2023 Championships

2023 U SPORTS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 23-25, 2023
• Saanich Commonwealth Place – Victoria, B.C.
• Defending Champions: Toronto (Women), UBC (Men)
• Start Times: 10:00 am prelims/6:00 pm finals (PST)
• SCM (25 meters) Prelims/LCM (50 meters) Finals
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Livestream

Courtesy: Ella Milloy

Olympian Gabe Mastromatteo of the Toronto Varsity Blues broke the U SPORTS record in the 50 breaststroke on the first day of the 2023 U SPORTS Swimming Championships.

At this year’s championships, athletes race short course meters during morning prelims and switch to long course for finals.

In his evening swim, Mastromatteo touched 1st in 27.53, breaking McMaster Marauder Konrad Bald’s 2015 record of 28.46. The Canadian Record of 27.45 held by Scott Dickens from 2009 is safe for now.

Hugo Lemesle of the uOttawa Gee-Gees captured silver in 28.00. Apollo Hess of the Lethbridge Pronghorns out-touched teammate Tristan Bennett by 0.01 seconds for bronze in 28.30.

Mastromatteo’s prelim swim of 26.72 was just 0.09 seconds slower than Hess’ Canadian Record of 26.63.

On the women’s side, Laval Rouge et Or rookie Danika Ethier won in 31.80, followed by Shona Branton of the Western Mustangs in 31.98 and Alicia L’Archeveque of the UBC Thunderbirds in 32.05.

Olympic silver medallist and 3rd year Calgary Dino Rebecca Smith started her meet off strong with a win in the 100 butterfly. Smith defended her title in the event and was the only woman under a minute, finishing in 59.21.

UBC’s Josie Field and Sela Wist finished 2nd and 3rd in 1:00.72 and 1:02.04.

Teammate Keir Ogilvie won the men’s 100 fly in 54.01, moving up from his 2nd-place finish in 2022.

In a tight finish, Thomas McDonald of the Calgary Dinos followed Ogilvie in 54.27. UBC’s Siu Lun Ho was third in 54.67.

Earlier in the session, Smith earned a bronze in the 50 freestyle in 26.13. 4th-year Varsity Blues Ainsley McMurray and Aleksa Gold brought home gold and silver in 26.07 and 26.12.

Toronto and Calgary swapped spots in the men’s 50 free with 3rd year Dino Stephen Calkins winning the event in 22.87. Varsity Blue Liam Weaver took silver in 22.93 and UBC’s Dima Lim bronze in 23.22.

Following the free sprints, the hometown crowd witnessed a true nailbiter as Lauren Crisp of the University of Victoria Vikes won the 100 back gold in a time of 1:03.27, just ahead of Toronto’s Haley Klenk’s 1:03.30 and Gold’s 1:03.36.

UBC’s Hugh McNeill and Blake Tierney earned more hardware for the Thunderbirds after winning gold and silver in the men’s 100 back in 55.68 and 56.19. Richie Stokes of the Dinos was 3rd in 56.29.

The Thunderbirds won both the women’s and the men’s 200 individual medley, with Anna Dumont-Belanger finishing in 2:17.66 and Brodie Young in 2:04.11.

Dino rookie Charlie Skalenda won his 1st U SPORTS medal after finishing behind Young for silver in 2:04.62.

Redbird Pablo Collin won McGill’s 1st gold of the meet in the 400 free. After finishing ahead of Toronto’s Quinn Matteis in a time of 3:57.71, Collin sat on the rope to celebrate in front of his teammates.

Emma O’Croinin of UBC won the women’s 400 free in 4:13.27 to defend her 2022 title.

The first finals session wrapped up with the 4×100 medley relays. The ‘Big Three’ schools of UBC, Calgary and Toronto fought for medals on both sides.

The Dino women were victorious, winning their final in 4:11.82, followed by UBC in 4:12.90 and Toronto in 4:14.04.

The Thunderbirds finished ahead of Toronto and Calgary in 3:41.90 on the men’s final.

The 2023 U SPORTS Swimming Championships continue February 24 at 10 a.m. PST.

TEAM RANKINGS AFTER DAY 1

WOMEN:

1. Toronto – 479.0
2. UBC – 436.5
3. Calgary – 321.0
4. McGill – 307.0
5. Victoria – 127.0
6. Western – 121.0
7. Manitoba – 116.5
8. Laval – 84.0
9. uOttawa – 78.0
10. Guelph – 70.0
11. Lethbridge – 66.0
12. Dalhousie – 64.0
13. Montreal/Waterloo – 49.0
14. –
15. Alberta – 48.0
16. Acadia – 22.0
17. McMaster – 17.0
18. Sherbrooke – 4.0
19. Regina – 2.0

MEN:

1. UBC – 416.0
2. uOttawa – 321.0
3. Calgary – 307.0
4. McGill – 288.0
5. Toronto – 278.5
6. Victoria – 148.0
7. Lethbridge – 147.5
8. Alberta – 90.0
9. Waterloo – 80.0
10. Western – 77.0
11. Wilfrid Laurier – 47.0
12. Laval – 45.0
13. Regina – 39.0
14. Montreal – 35.0
15. McMaster – 33.5
16. Dalhousie – 32.0
17. York – 30.5
18. Acadia – 20.0
19. Carleton 12.0

ABOUT ELLA MILLOY

Ella Milloy is a reporter, digital content creator and former competitive swimmer based in Ottawa. Her work has appeared in Capital Current, The Canadian Baseball Network and The McGill Tribune. She has also done coverage for Swimming Canada, Swim Alberta and SportBrand Canada Inc.