2023 TENNESSEE INVITATIONAL
- November 15-17, 2023
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center
- LCM (50-meter) prelims / SCY (25-yard) finals
- Prelims: 9:30am (EST)/ Finals: 6pm (EST)
- 2024 NCAA Championships Standards
- Psych Sheets
- Live Stream
- Live Results: “2023 Tennessee Invitational” on MeetMobile
WOMEN’S 500-YARD FREESTYLE — FINALS
- NCAA Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
- 2024 NCAA ‘A’ Standard: 4:37.89
- 2023 NCAA Invited Time: 4:41.09
Top 8:
- Aimee Canny (UVA) — 4:36.26
- Cavan Gormsen (UVA) — 4:38.80
- Mackenzie Brandt (BAMA) — 4:42.55
- Kate McCarville (TENN) — 4:43.23
- Aly Breslin (TENN) — 4:43.27
- Sophia Knapp (UVA) — 4:43.33
- Lauren Wetherell (TENN) — 4:45.51
- Brooklyn Douthwright (TENN) — 4:49.44
In her first time racing the event, Virginia second-year Aimee Canny put down a massive mark of 4:36.26 in the 500 free on the opening night of the Tennessee invite. That time is not only the top time in the NCAA right now by over three seconds, but it is also faster than the 4:36.62 that former Alabama swimmer Kensey McMahon put down to win the event at the 2023 NCAA Championships last season.
Canny was neck-and-neck with her teammate, first-year Cavan Gormsen, for the majority of the rage. However, she closed hard on her last 100, splitting 26.91/26.23 and blowing past Gormsen to beat her by over two seconds. Gormsen finished second with a season-best time of 4:38.80, which has her ranked second in the NCAA as of Wednesday.
Canny’s Splits:
| 50y | 25.81 |
| 100y | 28.10 (53.91) |
| 150y | 28.17 (1:22.08) |
| 200y | 28.11 (1:50.19) |
| 250y | 28.24 (2:18.43) |
| 300y | 28.22 (2:46.65) |
| 350y | 28.12 (3:14.77) |
| 400y | 28.35 (3:43.12) |
| 450y | 26.91 (4:10.03) |
| 500y | 26.23 (4:36.26) |
| Total | 4:36.26 |
Canny’s 500 free performance came around 15 minutes after she swam on Virginia’s winning 200 relay, where she split a 21.98 50 free. Although she might not be revered for her versatility the way some of her Virginia teammates are (such as the Walsh sisters, Ella Nelson, and Jasmine Nocentini), her performance on Wednesday night highlights her sheer range. Not only is she able to score at NCAAs in the 100/200/500 free, but she can also put up sub-22 splits on relays in the 50 free and qualify for NCAAs in the 200 IM. In addition, she also clocked a 1:01.18 100 breast and 2:12.97 200 breast unsuited at the Virginia-Texas dual meet earlier this season, which might hint at some untapped potential in breaststroke.
Although Canny has never raced the 500 free in yards, she does have experience swimming the 400 free in meters, having posted a personal best of 4:17.96 in the long course 400 free this past summer. She also holds a best time of 4:09.90 in the short course 400 free from October 2020.
Canny’s Best Times:
- 50 free: 22.31
- 100 free: 47.98
- 200 free: 1:42.34
- 500 free: 4:36.26
- 200 IM: 1:55.90
- 100 breast: 1:01.18
- 200 breast: 2:12.97
Later on at the Tennessee Invite, Canny is set to swim the 100 free and 200 breast. She raced the 200 IM prelims on Wednesday morning and placed third, but scratched the event to focus on the 500 free.
Good win for Aimee. For historical perspective, in 1979, at age 16, Tracy Caulkins swam a 4:36.25 AR which lasted 11 years until Janet Evans took it down in 1990.
So on Day 1 of individual events at NCAAs, she could do any of the 50, 500 or 200IM, and theoretically score in any of them.
19th last year in 200IM, swam a 21.45 50 split yesterday (21.91 made B final last year), and the 4:36 would have won the 500 last year.
She’s extremely versatile. Crazy.
last hundred being faster than the first is dirty
Why can’t Virginia men be half as good as their other half?
But the NuMbEr OnE dYnAsTy of 2029
Top four at Winter Juniors west last year were a bit (no a lot) faster. Don’t think 4:36 is going to A final this season.
Three of those four swimmers aren’t in the ncaa yet.
A 4:36 morning swim in the 500 will absolutely A final
she will A final. Bella Simms will break 4:30 though.
Assuming that phenomenal HS females will continue to get faster and faster is tough. I wouldn’t be surprised if she struggles to go best times.
Great swim for Canny!
Small correction but her PB in the 400 is a 4:15.22 from this morning
Seems as tho there is more in the tank too closing in 26’s
Yeah, that was a big swim for Aimee. That’s how you finish a 500 free.