When psych sheets for the 2015 Canadian World Championship Trials were released last week, there were many international names on the list, primarily those who train in the United States (be it American or otherwise) looking to take advantage of a high-level meet, close to home, in the mind-blowing new Pan Am Games pool in Toronto. Most of these athletes were designated with an asterisk on psych sheets to indicate that they are foreign, not eligible for Canadian team selection, and also can’t race in the A-Finals.
One name, however, jumped off the page as not having an asterisk, and that was the name of USC sophomore, and former United States Junior National Team swimmer Santo Condorelli.
Often times, these asterisk systems aren’t entirely accurate, but on Tuesday, Condorelli confirmed to SwimSwam that he is, in fact, taking a shot at qualifying for the Canadian World Championships Team.
“It’s not an error, I am Canadian,” Condorelli said, elaborating that despite being raised in the United States, he earns that lineage through his mother’s side. “My main goal is to make the Worlds team at this meet.”
Given how little Canada has done in the men’s sprints since the retirement of Brent Hayden, Condorelli’s chances at qualification seem very high. In long course, his best times are:
- 50 free – 22.32
- 100 free – 49.38
- 200 free – 1:51.52
Those were all done back at Junior Nationals in 2013, and despite taking a training trip to Russia with Vlad Morozov last summer, he was unable to improve his freestyle times in 2014.
Condorelli is the 2nd seed in the 100 free, the 6th seed in the 50 free, and the top seed in both the 50 fly and 100 fly, the latter in a 52.50 that he did at Summer Nationals in 2014.
The standards that Condorelli would have to achieve in the 50 and 100 frees and the 100 fly to make the team individually:
- 50 free – 22.09
- 100 free – 48.78
- 100 fly – 52.37
Note: Condorelli is not entered in the 200 free, and there is no selection available in the 50 fly.
Condorelli seems to be a near-lock to earn an invite as a relay swimmer, however. There, the standard for the 100 free is just 51.12 and the 100 fly is just 54.36, though these picks are discretionary. If Condorelli achieves the B-standard in two or more events, he would also make the team. Those B standards are:
- 50 free – 22.25
- 100 free – 49.27
- 100 fly – 52.52
Condorelli, like many top swimmers at this meet, is coming on a quick turnaround from the NCAA Championships in the United States, where he competed last week for the USC Trojans.
Don’t Canadian Olympic Trials fall just after women’s NCAAs in 2016? That would be a conflict with men’s NCAAs. Is he going to redshirt next season? Seems like the timing of the Canadian Trials will affect several college teams in 2016.
Can non Canadians swim in A heat of the finals?
weirdo – no.
If he is Canadian, why he swam at US national championships last year? Yes, he probably has the 2 citizenships.
It’s curious all these swimmers who, in the face of much tougher challenges in USA, prefer the easy option only to go to international meets. If you believe in you, work harder, improve and try to beat the best.
Anyway, if you want gold medals in relay, you should rather swim for USA. 🙂
Or France!
I thought this was obvious, but it’s simply for the opportunity to swim at the Olympics. A friend of mine swam at the 2000 & 2004 Olympics for Puerto Rico because he knew for a fact he could not defeat Tom Malchow or Michael Phelps in the 200 fly. He finished 12th in 2000 and got the experience of a lifetime.
LOL at the relay comment
I’m a little bummed that Taylor Ruck didn’t make the A final in the 200 free, but she’s got many more events to go.
So where are results being posted? I couldn’t find them on through the swimming.ca website either.
You could always watch it live:P
live prelims? where? without actually being there, of course.
The link is on Canadian swimming webpage. Can I post the link? it’s live via youtube..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rcgAPNmFJQ
OK, I found the live (time) results: https://www.swimming.ca/liveresults/2015cantrials/
Canada wished they got Missy instead 😀
They already have Justin Bieber.
Carl is a Canadian citizen and received his Canadian citizenship about a month and a half ago!
This is fantastic news for Canadian swimming. Another name without an asterisk on the psych sheets is Karl Krug. Any news on him?