2018 CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS
- July 18-22, 2018
- Edmonton, Alberta
- Kinsmen Sports Centre
- Full Selection Criteria
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Stream
The 2018 Canadian Swimming Trials got underway this morning from Edmonton, with the first Pan Pac roster spots up for grabs during tonight’s finals.
The most highly anticipated race of day 1 is certainly the women’s 200 free, where a loaded lineup goes to battle for four available relay spots tonight.
Taylor Ruck, the 2nd fastest swimmer in the world this year (1:54.81), cruised to the top seed this morning in 1:57.90. Mackenzie Padington swam her fastest time of the season to take 2nd in 1:58.84, and the three who joined Ruck on the silver medal winning 800 free relay at the Commonwealth Games took 3rd, 4th and 5th: Kayla Sanchez (1:59.26), Penny Oleksiak (1:59.47) and Rebecca Smith (2:00.53).
Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, who placed 4th at the Commonwealth Games in the 400 IM, scratched out of that event in favor of the 200 free, and will look for a top-4 spot tonight after qualifying 6th.
In that 400 IM, 2017 World Championship bronze medalist Sydney Pickrem took the top spot in 4:47.37, followed by Commonwealth finalist Sarah Darcel (4:48.98). Emily Overholt, who won bronze at the 2015 Worlds, had her fastest swim since returning from injury at the end of 2017 in 4:49.19, qualifying 3rd. The winner automatically qualifies for Pan Pacs, but all three are capable of getting down to the 4:43.06 standard that would likely ensure them all on the team heading to Tokyo.
OTHER EVENTS
- Jeremy Bagshaw of Island Swimming swam a very solid 1:48.96 to take the top seed in the men’s 200 free, with Markus Thormeyer (1:49.50) and Carson Olafson (1:49.89) also getting under 1:50. Surprisingly, Javier Acevedo was back in 11th (1:51.60), but will move into the 10-person A-final with France’s Remi Meresse finishing 6th (foreign athletes won’t swim the A-final). Yuri Kisil (1:56.73) blew up after 100 metres and placed 20th.
- Rachel Nicol from the University of Calgary leads a tight field in the women’s 100 breast, clocking 1:08.36 with Kelsey Wog (1:08.45) and Faith Knelson (1:08.54) close behind and Kierra Smith (1:09.20) lurking in 4th. For anyone other than the winner to make Pan Pacs, they’ll have to get under the standard of 1:07.58.
- Richard Funk was just a tenth off his season-best to take 1st in the men’s 100 breast in 1:01.04, with Sherbrooke’s Jonathan Naisby dropping nearly a second for 2nd in 1:01.87. Eli Wall, who tied for 10th at the Commonwealth Games in 1:01.47, sits 3rd in 1:02.07.
- 19-year-old Frenchman Samy Helmbacher swam the top time in the men’s 400 IM in 4:23.97, but will be relegated to the B-final tonight seeing as he’s a foreign athlete. Tristan Cote is the top Canadian in 4:24.33, and Josh Zakala (4:25.41) will likely be his only real challenge for the top spot tonight.