Canadian Women Break 4x100m Freestyle Relay National Record

2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES

The Canadian women broke the national record in the 4x100m freestyle relay this morning en route to finishing third overall in the heats and putting themselves in a great position to medal tonight.

Their time of 3:33.84 absolutely demolished the previous record of 3:36.44 that the Canadian squad of Sandrine Mainville, Michelle Williams, Chantal Van Landeghem, and Katerine Savard swam at the world championships last summer.

With three of the four competing on the relay this morning, they finished third overall in their heat behind the Australians and Americans who will be their main competitors tonight.

Sandrine Mainville led things off with a 54.17 before Van Landeghem dove in to give the Canadians the lead. Van Landeghem put up a very strong 52.90 split, close to a full second faster than her flat-start best time of 53.83.

Van Landeghem passed things over to Michelle Williams who dropped a 53.73 performance before young up-and-comer Taylor Ruck dove in. Ruck split a 53.04, the second fastest split by a Canadian this morning, in order to guarantee the national record.

The record was broken with the absence of 100m freestyle Canadian record holder Penny Oleksiak who will likely join the squad tonight to compete for a medal.

Oleksiak swam the heats of the 100m butterfly this morning, breaking her own Canadian and world junior record en route to finishing third overall. She’ll compete in the semifinals of the 100m butterfly tonight prior to swimming on the relay, assuming she’s given a spot.

With Oleksiak likely joining the relay team one swimmer from the heats won’t be swimming tonight. Chantal Van Landeghem’s 52.90 secures her spot on the relay, and although Taylor Ruck didn’t beat either Mainville or Williams at trials, her 53.04 split argues that she should have a spot on that team too.

If the Canadian coaching staff give Ruck and Oleksiak spots on the relay tonight, Williams or Mainville will not be swimming.

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Marianne Friesen
7 years ago

Congratulations from all your friends in Rosenort who cheered you on via TV, and we’re all very excited for you and wish you well in the other swim competitions. Awesome. You did Canada proud.

Scott Morgan
7 years ago

Smashed it! Go, you Crazy Canucks, eh!

M Palota
7 years ago

Very, very strong swim for Taylor Ruck! I have to believe that 53.04 puts her on the team tonight. I don’t envy the choice the coaches have to make but Manville or Williams have to, in my opinion, sit out.

pooholla
7 years ago

canadian women are killing it so far!

About Mitch Bowmile

Mitch Bowmile

Mitch worked for 5-years with SwimSwam news as a web producer focusing on both Canadian and international content. He coached for Toronto Swim Club for four seasons as a senior coach focusing on the development of young swimmers. Mitch is an NCCP level 2 certified coach in Canada and an ASCA Level …

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