2016 Canadian Paralympic Trials: Day 1 Prelims Live Recap

2016 CANADIAN PARALYMPIC TRIALS

• April 5-10
• Prelims: 10 a.m EST
• Finals: 6 p.m EST
• Live Results
• Psych sheets
• Live stream
• Selection Criteria 
• World Rankings
• Decoding the Classes

The para 50 free, 200 free and 400 free events are taking place this morning at the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Trials.

In Paralympic qualifying, swimmers are competing both against each other, and against the “Amended World Rankings,” which are the World Rankings from October 15, 2014 through January 31, 2016, slimmed down to a maximum of three athletes per country per class per event (the maximum a country can enter in the Olympics). Gold medalists from the 2015 World Championships are automatically qualified, and after that remaining spots are filled by taking swimmers who rank highest in the Amended World Rankings (with some nuances and exceptions).

Canada can qualify up to 22 swimmers for the Paralympic Games, 11 males and 11 females, and are expected to use that full complement. That means that Para selections won’t really be set, aside from those Worlds gold medalists, until the meet is over.

Swimmers below are ranked based on a point system where their times are compared to the World Record in the event for their specific class, which is why a swimmer with a faster time is ranked below a swimmer with a slower time (and why the swimmer who touches the wall first isn’t always the winner).

Women’s 50 Free PARA S1-14 Multi-Class

1. Aurelie Rivard, 28.46, S10
2. Morgan Bird, 31.97, S8
3. Abi Tripp, 33.75, S8
4. Katarina Roxon, 31.50, S9
5. Tammy Cunnington, 55.18, S4
6. Samantha Ryan, 31.33, S10
7. Tess Routliffe, 36.45, S7
8. Sarah Mehain, 36.55, S7
9. Camille Berube, 35.90, S8
10. Gabby Baird, 33.68, S9

In the women’s 50 free para S1-14 multi-class race, defending World Champion in the 50 free for the S10 class Aurelie Rivard clocked a 28.46 to qualify 1st into finals. That ranks behind only New Zealand’s Sophie Pascoe (28.30) as the fastest time in the world so far in 2016 (though as a World Champion from last year, her spot is secured for Rio). Morgan Bird was 2nd in 31.97, and 15-year old S8 Abi Tripp was 3rd in 33.75. With the ten lane pool, the top ten will move onto finals tonight.

Men’s 50m Free PARA S1-14 Multi-Class

1. Nathan Stein, 24.38, S10
2. Zack McAllister, 28.03, S8
3. Alexander Elliot, 26.03, S10
4. Isaac Bouckley, 26.09, S10
5. Nicolas Turbide, 26.32. S13
6. Chris Sergeant, 29.45. S8
7. Jean-Mic Lavalliere, 31.37, S7
8. Zach Zona, 30.09, S8
9. Philippe Vachon, 29.26, S9
10. Nathan Clement, 34.47, S6

Nathan Stein grabbed the top seed in the 50 free in a quick 24.38, which improves upon his previous 2016-best of 24.72. He’s now six-tenths of a second clear of any other S10 in the world in this event this year. While he earned only a bronze medal in this event at Worlds last year, his #1 World Ranking should hold up for a spot in Rio. S8 swimmer Zack McAllister placed 2nd in 28.03, which pushes him to 2nd in the world. Alexander Elliot was 3rd in 26.03 (S10), and Isaac Bouckley was 4th in 26.09 (S10).

Women’s 200m Free PARA S1-5, S14 Multi-Class

1. Kirstie Kasko, 2:29.57, S14
2. Angela Marina, 2:29.87, S14
3. Justine Morrier, 2:31.12, S14
4. Miori Henault, 2:32.04, S14
5. April Lam, 2:58.97, S14
6. Cassidy Tran, 3:05.03, S14
7. Angela Lowther, 3:52.32, S14

Kirstie Kasko took the top seed in the women’s 200 free in a swift 2:29.57, just ahead of Angela Marina who was 2nd in 2:29.87. This event saw only S14’s compete, with Kasko just missing out on a spot in the top ten world rankings (2:29.09). She now sits 11th for 2016, while Marina is 12th. Justine Morrier was 3rd in 2:31.12.

Men’s 200m Free PARA S1-5, S14 Multi-Class

1. Gordie Michie, 2:03.81, S14
2. Maxime Rousselle, 2:06.15, S14
3. Dalton Boon, 2:09.05, S14
4. Adam Rahier, 2:12.13, S14
5. Danial Murphy, 3:01.27, S5
6. Michael Qing, 2:17.17, S14
7. Jesse Canney, 2:23.62, S14
8. Connor Bissett, 2:26.72, S14
9. Joshuah Pereira, 2:27.70, S14
10. Andrew Cooke, 3:24.79, S5

Gordie Michie nabbed the top seed in the men’s 200 free, clocking 2:03.81. That time is almost a second faster than the 2:04.66 he posted last year when he was ranked 21st in the world among S14 swimmers. The time places him 8th in the world rankings this year. Maxime Rousselle finished 2nd in 2:06.15, and Dalton Boon was 3rd in 2:09.05. All three are S14. Danial Murphy was 3:01.27 for the 5th seed, as Murphy is S5. That time puts Murphy 7th in the world rankings for 2016.

Women’s 400m Free PARA S6-13 Multi-Class

1. Aurelie Rivard, 4:42.11, S10
2. Sabrina Duchesne, 5:27.01, S8
3. Morgan Bird, 5:27.18, S8
4. Samantha Ryan, 5:07.53, S10
5. Katarina Roxon, 5:15.98, S9
6. Tess Routliffe, 5:59.42, S7
7. Sarah Mailhot, 5:50.56, S8
8. Gabby Baird, 5:50.31, S9
9. Skylar Tierney, 5:48.51, S10
10. Maggie Manning, 5:55.06, S9

Aurelie Rivard took her second top seed of the morning, finishing 1st in the 400 free in 4:42.46 after taking the top spot in the 50 free earlier. Rivard was the World Champion last year, automatically qualifying her for the Paralympics. That swim launches her into 1st in the world rankings for S10. Sabrina Duchesne took the 2nd seed in 5:27.01, putting her 4th in the world rankings for 2016 among S8 swimmers. Morgan Bird (S8) was 3rd in 5:27.18, and Samantha Ryan (S10) was 4th in 5:07.53.

Men’s 400m Free PARA S6-13 Multi-Class

1. Benoit Huot, 4:17.62, S10
2. Isaac Bouckley, 4:19.35, S10
3. Zach Zona, 4:48.80, S8
4. Devin Gotell, 4:30.46, S13
5. Tyler Mrak, 4:46.42, S13
6. Philippe Vachon, 5:01.91, S9
7. Nicolas Plamondon, 5:03.51, S9
8. Christian Daniel, 6:08.75, S6
9. Hicham Boufekane, 5:17.90, S9
10. Matthew Cabraka, 6:03.66, S11

Nine time Paralympic gold medalist Benoit Huot took the top seed in the men’s 400 free in a quick 4:17.62, putting him 2nd in the world rankings for S10 swimmers in 2016 behind only Rowan Crothers of Australia (4:12.90). Huot was the silver medalist in this event at the World Championships last year in 4:11.55. Isaac Bouckley took the 2nd seed in 4:19.35, putting him 5th in the world among S10 swimmers. Zach Zona was 3rd in 4:48.80, putting him into 5th in the world in the S8 rankings.