No Summer McIntosh in the 100 Back – Day 3 Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Trials Scratches

2024 CANADIAN OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC TRIALS

• May 13-19, 2024
• Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre – Toronto, Ontario
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• How To Watch
• Swimming Canada Olympic Selection Criteria
• Psych Sheets (Updated 05/10)
• Live Results
• Prelims – Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap
• Finals – Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap

Day 3 Prelims Heat Sheet

Day 3 Schedule

• Men’s Para 400 Free
• Women’s Para 400 Free
• Men’s Open 2oo Free
• Women’s Open 100 Back
• Men’s Para 150 IM
• Women’s Open 1500 (early heats)

As the week progresses, one should begin to expect more and more high-impact scratches. It is a natural process as athletes either have already qualified in events or have begun to tire (or get injured) and are trying to maximize their potential by focusing solely on their best event. Today’s scratches follow that pattern.

While yesterday we saw just one scratch amongst the top ten, Finlay Knox, in the Men’s 100 back, today there are four. Chief among them is the Canadian superstar and teen sensation Summer McIntosh.

McIntosh, who has already qualified for the team twice, both by virtue of world-leading times, has opted not to swim the Women’s 100 back. When her Olympic Trials schedule leaked, many heads were turned at the inclusion of this event. While well outside of her forte of events, a very wide range that goes from the 200-1500 free and includes both the 200 fly and IM events, the 100 back seemed a little peculiar.

One of Canada’s foundations in not just medley relays but in swimming overall has been the backstroke. Kylie Masse and Hillary Caldwell both won medals at the Rio Games, with Masse exploding from there to break the 100-back world record and win a further three more medals in Tokyo. Since then, Taylor Ruck and Ingrid Wilm have added their names to the depth of women’s backstroke.

It seemed unlikely that McIntosh would swim the event, for if she were to be a part of the medley relay it seemed likely that she would swim the free leg, so her scratch should come as little surprise. In addition to having already swum the 200 and 400 freestyle, McIntosh still has the 100 free, 200s Fly/IM and the 400 IM to race. With her withdrawal, Ruck moves up to the third seed, occupying lane 4 in the first of three circle-seeded heats.

Also opting not to swim their events this morning is Steve Frantskevich. Frantskevich was the #4 seed in the Men’s 200 breaststroke, entering with a seed time of 2:15.97. He was also entered in the Men’s 100 breaststroke, but also withdrew from that. These were his only two events.

While not swimming this morning, the Top ten of the Women’s 1500 free saw two withdrawals. Megan Willar, who entered as the #4 seed with an entry time of 16:48.40, and the #9 seed Lydia Hart, who had an entry time of 17:19.66. The fastest ten swimmers overall and the fastest ten junior swimmers in this timed final event will swim tonight.

Willar placed 8th in the 400 on day one and still entered in the 50, 100 and 800 frees. Hart placed 16th in the 400 and is also still entered in the 100 and 800 free.

Also in the Women’s Para 400 freestyle, Tan Yang has withdrawn as the #3 seed. Her withdrawal left just two swimmers in the prelims. Tan has already finished 4th in the Women’s Para 100 breast.

All Top 30 Scratches

• Women’s Para 400 Free: Yang Tan (#3 – 6:13.95)
• Men’s 200 Free: None
• Women’s 100 Back: Summer McIntosh (#4 – 59.64) and Marissa Laurin (#27 – 1:03.74)
• Men’s 200 Breast: Steve Frantskevich (#4 – 2:15.97)
• Women’s 1500: Megan Willar (#4 – 16:48.4), Lydia Hart (#9 – 17:23.66), Jessica Dreghici (#20 – 17:30.82) and Eleaunah Phillips (#29 – 17:36.78)