Robert Griswold Breaks American Record in Final Session of Can-Am

U.S. PARALYMPICS SWIMMING OPEN (2015 CAN-AM OPEN)

After three days of competition, the Canadian team emerged victorious in Bismarck, North Dakota this weekend at the 2015 Can/Am meet for para-swimmers. Team USA put up a good show with fresh records in several events, but new records were also set by the Canadian countrymen. China Swimming also competed in full force as they’ll bring home class and event titles from their visit to North Dakota.

Aurelie Rivard (S10) controlled the women’s 100m free with a 1:01.81 which while two seconds away from her Canadian Record, was two seconds ahead of second place finisher Michelle Konkoly (S9) at 1:03.91.

The world record holder in the men’s S10 race, Andre Brasil Sr, cranked out a 53.29 for the top time. Fresh off his record-breaking performance at Georgia Tech Invite, Robert Griswold lowered his S8 American Record down to 1:01.54 from 1:02.75, a mark that was also bested by Zack McAllister with his 1:02.58. Japan lead a one-two-three sweep in the S14 class with Dai Tokairin (55.38), Koki Sakakura (57.43), and Shunya Murakami (58.87).

Elizabeth Smith (S9) dove in to rewrite her 2014 50m fly AR from Berlin to a 31.74 while the next closest mark was swam by S10’s Samantha Ryan at 32.95. Olga Poteshkina’s time of 33.10 from the S14 class was the first of four to hit in 33’s.

On the men’s side, Roy Perkins Jr. was just under a second off his 2014 AR at 35.15 to win the S5 class. After a slew of 28’s from the likes of Beniot Huot (28.59), Nicolas-Guy Turbide (28.46),  and Keiichi Kimura (28.54), Nathan Stein touched in at 27.96. His time would claim the event title and was only .46 off Ian Silverman’s AR.

Switching over to the breaststroke, Elizabeth Wasil edged out AR holder Jessica Long 1:30.44 to 1:32.36 for the SB7 class victory. Ekaterina Kraeva (SB14) and Anna Johannes (SB8) dominated their deep classes with their respective times of 1:25.07 and 1:27.86. USA’s Colleen Young posted the event’s quickest finish at 1:20.43 and was around a second off her own SB13 AR.

Chinese swimmers had a strong grip in the men’s 100m breast with Yingbin Di (1;31.99), Jianfeng Chen (1:24.65), and Xueming Zhao (1:19.74) crushing all of their classes. Maxime Rousselle’s 1:12.16 touched in over Tokairin’s 1:12.57 for the men’s top finish as Tharon Drake, the SB11 AR holder, cruised to a 1:18.50.

The 2015 Can-Am Open concluded its third day of competition with the women’s 400m free relay and the men’s 400m medley relay. The University of Ottawa squad of Samantha Ryan, Abi Tripp, Camille Berube, and Morgan Bird stole the show with their top placement of 4:52.77. The United States Resident Team quartet of Thomas Miazga, Rudy Garcia-Tolson, David Gelfand, and Matthew Torres put together the fastest race for the men at 5:03.88.