Becca Meyers Shows Strong at Para Swimming Canadian Open Day 1

Para Swimming Canadian Open

• Monday, October 2nd-Wednesday, October 4th
• Toronto Pan Am Sport Centre, Toronto, Canada
• LCM
• Meet Information
• Psych Sheets
• Results

Day one of the Para Swimming Canadian Open kicked off Monday afternoon. The event serves as a replacement for the postponed 2017 World Para Swimming Championships, which were supposed to be held in Mexico City until the devastating earthquake hit just outside the city. Participants swim for either Canada or Australia, with the exception of the United States’ Becca Meyers.

It should be noted that in para swimming, the objectively fastest swim does not always win the race — times are plugged into a formula that accounts for a given swimmer’s classification, aiming to level the playing field.

18-year-old Australian Lakeisha Patterson, competing in the S8 class, took gold in the women’s 400 free in 4:42.57. In second with a 4:24.49 was 2015 IPC Swimming Worlds Championships gold medalist Becca Meyers, who swims in the S13 class. On the men’s side 2016 Paralympic gold medalist Brendan Hall, who swim in the S9 class, took first in 4:16.14. In second was Rowan Crothers, who went 4:08.61 competing in the S10 class.

Australian S9 swimmer Madeline Scott took first in the 100 fly with a 1:09.67, followed by S10 swimmer Paige Leonhardt in 1:07.38. Canadian Alex Elliot, who swims in the S10 class, got the win on the men’s side in 58.39. He was followed by youngster S9 swimmer Tim Hodge in 1:02.66.

In the S1-S7 50 fly, 41-year-old S4 swimmer Tammy Cunnington took first in 52.75. S7 swimmer Matthew Levy was the only competitor on the men’s side, going 31.69

The Australian women also swam a 4×100 free relay, going 4:36.72 for an unopposed win.