Ruck, Overholt Highlight 13 Pan Pac Qualifiers On Day 1 Of CAN Trials

2018 CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS

The opening day of the Canadian Pan Pac Trials have wrapped up, and 13 swimmers have booked their ticket to next month’s Championships in Tokyo.

Eight of those 13 come from the 200 freestyle, where the top-4 finishers for both men and women automatically qualified for the relay. In the other events, the winner automatically qualified, with 2nd and 3rd place finishers also under the FINA ‘A’ cut having a shot at being added to the team (there weren’t any on day 1).

Taylor Ruck popped off a very impressive 1:55.45 to win the women’s event, and Kayla SanchezPenny Oleksiak and Rebecca Smith all secured their spot on the team in 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Ruck, Sanchez and Oleksiak were also three of the six who swam under the ‘A’ cut on the night, joined by Markus ThormeyerKierra Smith and Emily Overholt.

Thormeyer won the men’s 200 in 1:47.66, a lifetime best, and will be joined on the relay at Pan Pacs by Alex PrattJavier Acevedo and Jeremy Bagshaw.

Smith won the women’s 100 breast in 1:07.57, getting under the cut by .01, while Rachel Nicol and Faith Knelson narrowly missed out.

Overholt had an impressive and emotional win in the 400 IM, coming back from an injury plagued year in 2017 to clock in at 4:42.77. She slid under the cut of 4:43.06, while runner-up Sarah Darcel was a bit off in 4:44.21. Also of note was top seed from prelims Sydney Pickrem scratching out of the final late.

Also booking their ticket to Pan Pacs with wins were Richard Funk in the men’s 100 breast, Mackenzie Padington in the women’s 800 free, and Tristan Cote in the men’s 400 IM.

For a full recap of day 1 finals, click here.

Canadian Pan Pac Qualifiers Through Day 1 (13)

Note: Sanchez and Oleksiak are given ‘200 FR’ instead of the 4×200 relay under events because they were under the FINA ‘A’ standard. Once at Pan Pacs, swimmers can swim whatever events they want, so ultimately it doesn’t really matter.

Women Event(s) Men Event(s)
Mackenzie Padington 800 FR Markus Thormeyer 200 FR
Taylor Ruck 200 FR Alex Pratt 4X200 FR
Kayla Sanchez 200 FR Javier Acevedo 4X200 FR
Penny Oleksiak 200 FR Jeremy Bagshaw 4X200 FR
Rebecca Smith 4X200 FR Richard Funk 100 BR
Kierra Smith 100 BR Tristan Cote 400 IM
Emily Overholt 400 IM

In This Story

7
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

7 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Joel
5 years ago

Can Alex Pratt go to both junior Pan PACs and senior Pan Pacs ?

straightblackline
5 years ago

I agree it’s somewhat perverse that someone likely to qualify for the final of the women’s 400IM fails to win selection but that is what happens when national federations impose arbitrary selection standards. My view has always been that if you finish in the top two at trials and meet the international qualifying standard you should be put on the team. That way, we wouldn’t have all these ridiculous, subjective arguments about who merited selction and who didn’t.

Verram
Reply to  straightblackline
5 years ago

Agree 100%.. by the way I don’t get th “down votes” on my previous post.. I was stating facts nothing else .. Overholt fans slightly sensitive, not dissing her win

Maelstrom
Reply to  Verram
5 years ago

Ridiculous when SAL takes leiston pickett as “relay cover” for the 100br, even though she was 0.28 off the qt, while they dont give blair evans a spot in the 400im even though she was only 0.51 out.

Mike
Reply to  Verram
5 years ago

I think it is the changing citizenship idea that is causing the down votes not the slighting the race winner.

Verram
5 years ago

Weird that Blair Evans swam like 5 secs faster in 400IM and won’t get to swim at pan pacs and a 4.42 in Canada gets a ticket to Tokyo .. Blair Evans should change citizenship lol

TheJudga
Reply to  Verram
5 years ago

The selection is definitely weird this year in Canada, winner automatically qualifies AND any qualifiers can swim any event once they are on the team. Therefore, I think a lot of competitors at trials this week aren’t very rested and counting on winning 1 swim to get to swim their signature events. Its all strategy with their coaches and training goals. However, regarding the 400IM specifically, it was a strangely slow race… considering Overholt, Pickrem, Seltenreich-Hodgson, Darcel, and Sophie-Harvey are all sub 4:40 swimmers. Scratches, health problems, unusual team selection period (for Canada its normally early April). WEIRD.
– Side note: I bet Ruck could even through down a solid 400IM, her PB is 4:50 from 2015 and her… Read more »

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

Read More »