2019 Canadian Swimming Trials: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2019 CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS

• April 3-7, 2019
• Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto, ON
• LCM (50m)
• Prelims/Finals: 9:30 am / 6:00 pm ET
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream (Rectectv)
• Live Stream (CBC Sports)
• Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet

The opening night of finals of the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials gets underway tonight from Toronto.

In this morning’s prelims, Kylie Masse produced the seventh fastest performance in history in the women’s 100 back in 58.19 and has a great shot at the world record (58.00) tonight. Kayla Sanchez (59.82), Jade Hannah (59.92), Taylor Ruck (1:00.09), and Madison Broad (1:00.56) were also under the FINA ‘A’ cut this morning, but Sanchez has dropped the event for tonight’s final.

Markus Thormeyer had a strong performance in the men’s 100 back in the heats, getting under the ‘A’ cut of 54.06 and falling just two-tenths shy of the national record in 53.83. Javier Acevedo, a 2017 World semi-finalist in the event, was notably absent this morning,

Sydney Pickrem (2:26.06), Kierra Smith (2:26.16), and Kelsey Wog (2:26.68) lead the race in the women’s 200 breast, and will be looking to get under the ‘A’ cut of 2:25.91.

James Dergousoff (2:12.57) and Eli Wall (2:13.42) are the top seeds in the men’s 200 breast, and Mackenzie Padington and Alexander Pratt come into the timed final of the women’s 1500 and men’s 800 free as the number one seeds.

The other race of the night will be the 50 fly, which will not be used for World Championship qualification. Penny Oleksiak put up the top time of the prelims in the women’s event in 26.08 but has scratched the final making Haley Black (26.77) the top seed.

In the men’s event, Will Pisani leads the pack after a very impressive 23.85 in the prelims.

The para events will have the men’s and women’s 100 back tonight. This morning, Shelby Newkirk set a new world record in the women’s S7 category in a time of 1:19.99.

Women’s 100 Back – Para

1. Shelby Newkirk S7, LASER, 1:20.49 (1035 points)
2. Camille Berube S7, NG, 1:26.73 (828 points)
3. Arianna Hunsicker S10, SKSC, 1:17.41 (616 points)

Shelby Newkirk finished half a second off her S7 world record from prelims (1:19.99) but still comes away with the victory in the Women’s Para 100 Back in 1:20.49, scoring 1035 para points. Camille Berube, also S7, placed 2nd in 1:26.73 for 828 points.

Men’s 100 Back – Para

1. Nicolas-Guy Turbide S13, CNQ, 59.93
2. Tyson MacDonald S14, WRMS, 1:04.86
3. Nick Bennett S14, RAC, 1:06.14

Nicolas Guy-Turbide (S13) snuck under a minute to win the men’s para 100 back in 59.93 after clocking 1:00.77 this morning.

Women’s 100 Back Final

• Canadian Record: 58.10, Kylie Masse, 2017
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 1:00.59

1. Kylie Masse, TSC, 58.16
2. Taylor Ruck, SCAR, 58.55
3. Jade Hannah, ISC, 59.89

Kylie Masse followed up her 58.19 prelim swim with an even quicker 58.16, the fourth fastest swim of all-time. That also gives her six of the ten fastest swims in history.

Taylor Ruck had an outstanding showing to take 2nd in 58.55, making her the eighth fastest performer in history. Masse and Ruck are the first qualifiers for the World Championship team.

Also cracking a minute was Jade Hannah, who edged her prelim swim of 59.92 to take 3rd in 59.89. Danielle Hanus was also under the ‘A’ cut in 4th in 1:00.50.

Louise Hansson won the B-final in 1:00.35, getting under her previous best of 1:01.21.

Men’s 100 Back Final

• Canadian Record: 53.63, Pascal Wollach, 2009
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 54.06

1. Markus Thormeyer, UBCSC, 53.35
2. Cole Pratt, CASC, 54.64
3. Robert Hill, UCSC, 55.32

Markus Thormeyer smashed the ten-year-old Canadian Record to win the men’s 100 back, producing a time of 53.35 to take down Pascal Wollach‘s 53.63 from way back in 2009. His previous best was a 53.78 from the Commonwealth Games, and he was also sub-54 this morning in 53.83. He now ranks 4th in the world for the 2018-19 season.

Cascade’s Cole Pratt was the runner-up in 54.64, his first time sub-55. Coming into the meet his best was a 55.98, and then this morning he lowered that down to 55.42.

Dylan Carter, swimming unattached, had a very solid 54.09 swim from the B-final, recording a new personal best after going 54.60 in the prelims.

Women’s 200 Breast Final

• Canadian Record: 2:20.12, Annamay Pierse, 2009
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 2:25.91

1. Sydney Pickrem, UNCAN, 2:22.63
2. Kelsey Wog, UMAN, 2:22.82
3. Mary-Sophie Harvey, CAMO, 2:27.41

In an incredibly tight women’s 200 breast final, Kierra Smith initially edged out Sydney Pickrem and Kelsey Wog in a new personal best and the #1 time in the world of 2:21.75. However, shortly after it was announced she had been disqualified. We’re awaiting word on what the infraction was.

With the DQ Pickrem (2:22.63) picks up the win and Wog (2:22.82) gets bumped up to a spot on the Worlds team. Both were new personal bests by over a second, and they now sit 1-2 in the world for 2018-19.

Mary-Sophie Harvey took 3rd in 2:27.41 from out in lane 1.

The disqualification has been upheld.

Men’s 200 Breast Final

• Canadian Record: 2:08.84, Mike Brown, 2008
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 2:11.00

1. James Dergousoff, CHENA, 2:12.33
2. Eli Wall, TSC, 2:12.80
3. Jaren LeFranc, KISU, 2:14.90

James Dergousoff used a very strong back half of 1:07.67 to mow down Eli Wall and pick up the win in the men’s 200 breast, touching in a time of 2:12.33. Wall led the race through 150 metres, but was overtaken by Dergousoff late to end up 2nd in 2:12.80.

Dergousoff’s swim his second PB of the day, first going 2:12.57 this morning after he came in with a best of 2:13.11.

Jaren LeFranc placed 3rd in a personal best of 2:14.90.

Women’s 50 Fly Final

• Canadian Record: 25.62, Penny Oleksiak, 2017
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 26.34

1. Maggie MacNeil, LAC, 26.15
2. Haley Black, PGB, 26.43
3. Sadie Fazekas, WAC, 26.91

With Penny Oleksiak absent from the field after scratching out of the prelims, Maggie MacNeil took full advantage picking up the win in the women’s 50 fly in a time of 26.15. That destroys her personal best of 26.99 (set in June of 2018 and then tied this morning), and also puts her under the FINA ‘A’ qualifying time. While this won’t book her a spot on the Worlds team, she will be able to add this event in Gwangju should she qualify.

Haley Black also put up a personal best to place 2nd in 26.43, and Sadie Fazekas (26.91), Sarah Watson (26.92) and Kyla Leibel (26.96) also broke 27 seconds.

Men’s 50 Fly Final

• Canadian Record: 23.30, Santo Condorelli, 2015
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 23.66

1. Will Pisani, UNCAN, 23.57
2. Mehdi Ayoubi, CAMO, 24.24
3. Alexandre Perreault, OTTSC, 24.34

Like MacNeil, Will Pisani earned himself a new best time and got under the ‘A’ standard to win the men’s event in 23.57, now sitting less than three-tenths off of the National Record.

Mehdi Ayoubi of CAMO took 2nd in 24.24, getting under his old best by .01, and Alexandre Perreault was 3rd in 24.34.

Women’s 1500 Free Timed Final

• Canadian Record: 15:57.15, Brittany Maclean, 2014
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 16:32.04

1. Mackenzie Padington, UNVAR, 16:23.66
2. Emma O’Croinin, EKSC, 16:40.78
3. Kate Sanderson, UN, 16:45.13

Mackenzie Padington pulled away from the field early to win the women’s 1500 free in a time of 16:23.66, getting under her previous best of 16:25.38 set last July. With the women’s mile now being an Olympic event, this qualifies her for the World Championships as she was under the ‘A’ cut by over eight seconds.

Emma O’Croinin of Edmonton Keyano was the runner-up in 16:40.78, about twelve seconds off her lifetime best from last summer’s Junior Pan Pacs, and Kate Sanderson was 3rd in 16:45.13.

Men’s 800 Free Timed Final

• Canadian Record: 7:41.86, Ryan Cochrane, 2011
• FINA ‘A’ Standard: 7:54.31

1. Peter Brothers, UCSC, 8:02.40
2. Colin Gilbert, KCS, 8:03.65
3. Michael McGillivray, ROD, 8:05.57

Peter Brothers edged out Colin Gilbert down the stretch to win the fastest heat of the men’s 800 free in a time of 8:02.40, just off his 2016 best of 8:01.94.

Gilbert, swimming way out in lane 9, pulled off the runner-up finish in 8:03.65, crushing his previous best of 8:10.05 from the 2016 Junior Pan Pacs.

Victor Johansson, a Swede coming off his freshman year with USC, posted the fastest time overall from the early heats in 7:59.77, but doesn’t officially win since he’s an international swimmer. In races with prelims and finals, international swimmers cannot advance to the A-final.