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 4 Finals Heat Sheet
The penultimate night of finals from the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials in Toronto will feature the 200 freestyle, 200 butterfly, and 50 breaststroke, along with the para 200 free, 50 breast, and 100 breast.
The top-4 finishers in the 200 free will qualify for Worlds in the relay. Four of the top-6 seeds in the women’s race have already made the team, so the pressure is on Alyson Ackman (first) and Kennedy Goss (fourth) to maintain their spots in the top-4 while battling with a stacked field of Taylor Ruck, Penny Oleksiak, Rebecca Smith, and Kayla Sanchez.
Markus Thormeyer and Carson Olafson lead the men’s event, and both are already on the team. Jeremy Bagshaw and Ruslan Gaziev are in the hunt to add their names coming in seeded third and fourth.
The women’s 200 fly has Mabel Zavaros and Danielle Hanus looking to get down to the 2:09.21 standard, while Mack Darragh is the only man with a legitimate shot based on best times to hit the time in the men’s 200 fly.
Women’s 200 Free – Para
Angela Marina (S14) put up the fastest time in the para women’s 200 free (2:18.45), but it was Aly Van Wyck-Smart (S2) edging her in para points by two (688 to 686) to win the event. Van Wyck-Smart’s swim breaks her Canadian Record.
Men’s 200 Free – Para
Nicholas Bennett (S14) dropped two seconds from his prelim swim in 1:59.74 to win the men’s para 200 free with 913 points. The swim is a new Canadian Record in the S14 category.
WOMEN’S 200 FREE FINAL
- Canadian Record: 1:54.44, Taylor Ruck, 2018
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:58.66
- Penny Oleksiak, TSC, 1:56.92
- Taylor Ruck, SCAR, 1:56.97
- Kayla Sanchez, AAC, 1:58.28
- Rebecca Smith, SCAR, 1:58.64
Penny Oleksiak bounced back in a big way from a disappointing 100 fly last night, going head-to-head with Taylor Ruck in the women’s 200 free final. At the touch it was Oleksiak getting her hand on the wall first, breaking 1:57 for the first time in 1:56.92.
Ruck placed second in 1:56.97, adding a fourth individual event to her World Championship schedule.
Kayla Sanchez (1:58.28) and Rebecca Smith (1:58.64) both made significant drops from the prelims to take third and fourth, adding the 4×200 free relay to their Worlds schedule.
All four of them trained together last year at the High Performance Centre – Ontario.
MEN’S 200 FREE FINAL
- Canadian Record: 1:46.40, Brent Hayden, 2008
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:47.40
- Markus Thormeyer, UBCSC, 1:47.60
- Alexander Pratt, UBCSC, 1:48.74
- Jeremy Bagshaw, ISC, 1:49.03
- Carson Olafson, UBCSC, 1:49.59
Markus Thormeyer took control of the field on the third 50, out-splitting everyone by a full second in 26.97, as he won his fourth event in as many days in the men’s 200 free in a time of 1:47.60. That sneaks under his PB of 1:47.66, but just falls shy of the ‘A’ cut (1:47.40).
Alexander Pratt had the fastest final 50 in the field (27.18) to take 2nd in 1:48.74, four-tenths off his best time, and veteran Jeremy Bagshaw gets himself on the team with a third place finish in 1:49.03.
Carson Olafson, who qualified in the 400 free relay earlier, was the early leader in the race but fell off on the final 50 to fourth, still good enough to add a second relay to his Worlds schedule.
Dylan Carter set a new Trinidad and Tobago National Record out of the ‘B’ final, clocking 1:47.71 to improve on his old mark of 1:47.77.
WOMEN’S 200 FLY FINAL
- Canadian Record: 2:05.95, Audrey Lacroix, 2009
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:09.21
- Mary-Sophie Harvey, CAMO, 2:11.71
- Danielle Hanus, ISC, 2:11.79
- Mabel Zavaros, OAK, 2:13.61
Mary-Sophie Harvey made up a full second on Danielle Hanus on the last 50 of the women’s 200 fly, touching her out for the victory in a time of 2:11.71. That takes over a second off the best time she set this morning. Hanus was second in 2:11.79, while Mabel Zavaros placed third in 2:13.61.
This is the first event Canada will have no one get under the FINA ‘A’ standard.
In fifth was Summer McIntosh, who once again lowers her 11-12 National Age Group Record in a time of 2:15.24, improving her 2:16.02 from prelims. Coming into the meet her record stood at 2:17.29.
MEN’S 200 FLY FINAL
- Canadian Record: 1:56.27, Mack Darragh, 2018
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 1:56.71
- Mack Darragh, OAK, 1:56.68
- Montana Champagne, GO, 1:59.21
- Cole Pratt, CASC, 1:59.89
Josiah Binnema used his front-end speed to take the men’s 200 fly out in a blistering pace, maintaining the lead over National Record holder Mack Darragh through the 150.
He ended up fading hard coming home in 35.63, and it was Darragh who pulled away for the win in a final time of 1:56.68, just .03 under the FINA ‘A’ cut of 1:56.71.
Montana Champagne moved up to second on the last 50 to get under two minutes for the first time in 1:59.21, and Cole Pratt continued his strong meet with a third place finish in 1:59.89. Binnema took fourth in 2:00.97.
WOMEN’S 50 BREAST FINAL
- Canadian Record: 30.33, Amanda Reason, 2009
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 31.22
- Faith Knelson, ISC, 31.02
- Rachel Nicol, UCSC, 31.23
- Nina Kucheran, SLSC, 31.66
Faith Knelson comes away with the win in the women’s 50 breast in a time of 31.02, followed by Rachel Nicol (31.23) and Nina Kucheran (31.66). Knelson and Nicol have both been sub-31 before, but this is Kucheran’s first time under 32 (previously 32.06).
Sophie Angus (31.68) and Avery Wiseman (31.80) also got under 32 after only Knelson and Nicol did so in the prelims.
MEN’S 50 BREAST FINAL
- Canadian Record: 27.45, Scott Dickens, 2009
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 27.39
- Alexander Milanovich, ESWIM, 27.84
- Gabe Mastromatteo, KSS, 28.01
- John Fauteux, MSSAC, 28.61
Alexander Milanovich of Etobicoke got under his best time for the second time today to win the men’s 50 breast, touching in 27.84 after going 27.86 this morning. He came in with a best time of 27.87.
Gabe Mastromatteo of Kenora took second in 28.01, .07 off his lifetime best.
Women’s 50 Breast – Para
Nikita Ens (SB2) dropped five seconds from her prelim swim to top the para women’s 50 breast in 1:49.73.
Men’s 50 Breast – Para
Jacob Brayshaw (SB2) took nine seconds off his prelim swim in a time of 2:11.50.
Women’s 100 Breast – Para
Abi Tripp (SB7) was the victor in the women’s para 100 breast, improving her morning swim by over three-tenths in 1:33.99 for 824 points.
Men’s 100 Breast – Para
James Leroux (SB9) ripped a 1:09.24 in the men’s para 100 breast to take the win over Nicholas Bennett (SB14, 1:12.25), putting up 790 points to Bennett’s 774.
Just want to say that I’m totally proud of Penny Oleksiak’s performance tonight. After a crushing day yesterday, she came back with a gutsy swim today, leading to a personal best time and upsetting Taylor Ruck. She showed loads of character!
What was so crushing about making the team?
Whether she says it publicly or not 100 fly was crushing. I stand by my comment that bouncing back for the 200 free the following day showed character.
Agreed… The 100 fly has been ‘hers’ in Can the last 3 years even more than the 100 free with Taylor challenging and sliding past her. That swim was much further off than her freestyles and I think she’d been faster in season? To come back to an event the next day which is demanding and hasn’t been in her program much since the Rio Relay, and take on Taylor head to head shows a bit of ‘something’…. And she refers to the Can relays all the time in interviews which is a positive sign considering the depth and potential there next couple years that we haven’t had since say the 70s….
I just want to point out that Canadian men got a qualifier in an event that had no female qualifiers – 200 fly. It’s been a long time since that happened
There are Canadian men at this meet?
If a swimmer at these Trials who finishes first or second in an individual event without meeting the FINA “A” cut achieves the “A” cut at a later date, will Canada Swimming allow that swimmer to swim the event at the 2019 World Championships? What if a swimmer already named to the team swims an “A” cut at a meet in the future in an event where Canada currently has no entrants for Worlds- can they be entered at Worlds in that event?
It would seem they can as there is a provision in the qualifying requirements that Mr. Atkinson can add swimmers/events at his discretion. So he may add a couple 100m men’s winners for a medley relay. After that will he add Mary-Sophie Harvey for winning 200 fly? Not sure. But as Penny is already there hypothetically she could be added if it didn’t clog up her likely already busy schedule.
She was 209 in season last year. No 100 fly now so maybe this fits in. Number of other probably better examples of swimmers with just one event and if there is a spot and it helps their meet to have a swim prior to their main event, then… Read more »
Good points. But this would mean that relay-only swimmers (like in the men’s 100 and 200 free) could be added in individual events
I don’t think they could as you need to be under the Fina A to have 2 swimmers. If Markus missed the Fina A but he’s at the meet then enter him in the 1 or 2 Free ‘if’ it helps his whole meet. Events with no Fina A qualifiers will be where the holes are, ie men’s 100 breast and fly. Events with one only will be closed I would think. There is no provision, unlike Japan’s standards for example, that allow a 2nd qualifying meet.
Assuming they take the winners for the medley relay may as well add them to the Ind 100 since there if it helps them help the team with prepping for the 4*1… Read more »
@NUOTOFAN: I feel your frustration and voted almost all of your comments up (there are too many of them here to vote all of them). That is the disappointment of the fan who cares and should be respected. But look at this under different angle. Taylor Ruck has a speed. Her 53.2 is very good even being 0.5sec slower her personal best. That speed is sufficient to expect 1:54 time in 200. Now if she is slower her pb in 100 by 0.5sec then I would expect her to be slower her pb in 200 by 1.2 – 1.5 sec. That brings us 1:55 high. Would you be satisfied with this result at this point of the season? Probably yes.… Read more »
Thanks Yozhik for your support😉. I’m not specifically a fan of Ruck like you are of Ledecky (and your comments on her are often misread), but I’m certainly a fan of watching great talents, like Ruck certainly is, showing all their potential.
edit: link didnt work
Not too long ago predictions were that Canada would have an awesome women’s 4 x 200 team for the Worlds and Olympics. But for that to happen Ruck and Oleksiak need to be much better than 1.56 and the others need to be much faster than 1.58. A lot of work still to do.
Finally a realistic comment..
Yup they do. No one likely over the moon with they’re Ind swim here. But they got the job done and the oldest is all of 19.
I’m not sure if Smith is ever going to be much better than 1.58. Sanchez went 1.57-low at Pan Pacs. I’m pretty sure Ruck can get back down to 1.54-mid and that, if they’re training together, Penny will chase her to another PB (seems Penny is always happiest when she’s got somebody to chase.) But they’ve got some work to do, there’s no doubt about that.
In 2018, in the 200m free Ruck won Commonwealth Games (beating McKeon and Titmus) and Pan Pacs (beating Ledecky). So I think she’ll be faster that 1:56 this summer.
Not sure how much to read into a 200m Trials time where she was i) coming off NCAAs, ii) Had already made the team in multiple events, iii) was in a position to take it easy in the 200m free at trials as no-one else is close to her entry times, iv) the 200m free was late in here trials schedule, etc., etc.
The wild card, I think, is Oleksiak. Her 200m free Trials time may be her PB in this even (although she had a great anchor split in Rio).
Milanovich’s time (and his prelims time) would’ve beaten his own 15-17 best if they kept official NAG’s for 50 strokes.
I knew that my comment about Ruck’s performance was unpleasant for many fans (particularly Stanford’s fans..), but I remind well last season: how Ruck was consistent in every single meet and what happened 12 months ago, 5 april 2018: Ruck gold at Commonwealth Games in 1.54.81 in the 200 free, in a great race with Titmus. And then Ruck was faster at Panpacs in August
Sorry but tonight I watched another swimmer: I hope to watch again THAT swimmer.
On the other hand this performance of Ruck in 200FR may encourage Sjostrom to race this event in Gwangju. She is already 1:55.4. Who else can we see under 1:54.8? Pellegrini again? So your dream to see not American on the top step of the podium can be still alive 😀
Unfortunately Sjostrom won’t be swimming 200 free at major meets..
Ariarne Titmus is still there.. (I don’t know her college’s choice lol)
Suspect we’ll be seeing a new name thrown into the 200 free ring in about 9 days time 😉
Freya Anderson isn’t new..
I’m too prepared for this section of comments lol
Hahaha! I did, as I always do, make it pretty obvious who I was referring to Nuoto 😋 Let me enjoy my fanboying
First race of Commonwealth Games day 1 = fresh.
First race of trials 100 back = 58.5 best time.
No first year at college or NCAAs in front of Commonwealth Games.
Very different sceneries into and during both meets.
We’d all like to see her a bit closer to 154 at this point but she wasn’t waaaayyy off.
Good training block coming up now hopefully leading into world’s.
Yes, it’s necessary a reeaally good training block..
Nuoto please tell me what you can swim in any event and if any of yours are faster than hers you can talk but if they aren’t then you can stop talking
Ok, if a comment like this (I think that nearly all the coaches in the World are slower than Ruck in the 200 free) gets more upvotes than downvotes, thanks for the downvotes on this site😃
We’ve already been over this topic but the “if you can’t swim as fast as them then you can’t say anything” statement is not how criticism works. I don’t agree with a single thing NUOTOFAN has said but he can say those things without being as fast as Taylor
The thing is you have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. Maybe she went back to heavy training and isn’t the least bit worried about time. I have no doubt she will be right back to the times posted last summer. She is also in school at the moment and who knows what else might be factoring in. I’m sure the focus was to get on the team. Time doesn’t matter at this point.
Back to heavy training before Worlds trials? If the target is trying to miss another Worlds..,it could be😉
Exactly. You or I have no idea. 2 major NCAA meets, exams, papers, and now a trials meet no one is going to have best times when their best times were done in such ideal conditions such as a major international games.
On the face of it, it’s hard to call Taylor Ruck’s 2018-19 season anything but a success. She scored 50 points individually at NCAA’s and made Stanford’s relays sing. Then she came here two weeks later and bagged four individual swims for herself at Worlds, when she’s struggled badly at Trials in the past. Just about any swimmer in the world would be happy with that kind of a season. But… it probably wasn’t as good a year as her fans likely expected from her this year after her successes from the back half of 2017 through last summer. And, certainly, her times are off. However, it looks like Taylor is very much looking forward to being back in Toronto… Read more »
Re: “certainly, her, times are off”
Backstroke times were on point, though … PB in the 100m back at Trials and the 200m back within a few tenths of her 2018 best.
Her 53.26 in the 100m free is decent – right on a top 10 performer time for 2018 (and faster than the winning time at the 2016 US Olympic Trials by 0.02).
Taylor will be swimming a lot at Worlds, that we know for sure.
Give it up. Move on to Schooling of something.
The matter of fact here is that what we think doesn’t matter. It’s her life it’s her career we think has no bearing. So why not be supportive of someone
Quick comparison: Alexander Pratt was second in the 200 free with 1.48.74, yesterday the eight in the 200 final at Italian Champs swam 1.48.71.
yes… not all countries are the same.
And the commentators