The final day of the 2012 Canadian Olympic Trials wraps up with many of the squad’s biggest names in action. That includes the likes of Sinead Russell, Julia Wilkinson, Brent Hayden, and Ryan Cochrane (who didn’t swim in prelims, but will have the 1500 final in the evening).
In the women’s 200 back, Sinead Russell is looking for her first individual National Championship of 2012, and takes the top seed into finals with a 2:09.63. That’s still much slower than she was at last year’s Worlds Trials, but she’s far-and-away the best 200 backstroker in this field, so earning at least a top two spot in the finals shouldn’t be too difficult.
Like Russell, the number-two seed Dominique Bouchard wasn’t great in the 100, but she looked a bit better in this 100 with a 2:10.83. Julia Wilkinson continued to be on a roll with a lifetime-best of 2:11.03 for the third-seed; this is mostly a “see what happens” race for her, as all of her primary events are done for this meet.
If anyone were going to challenge Russell for this title, the most likely candidate would actually be 4th-seeded Hillary Caldwell (2:11.51), as she’s the only other swimmer in this field who has gone under 2:10 in her career.
Both of the 50 freestyles will be decided on the final day of this meet too. The Canadian women are not as strong in this 50 as they are in the 100, but as they always are the 50 should be exciting none-the-less. The top seeds go to Victoria Poon (25.46), Chantal van Landeghem (25.52) and Hannah Riordan (25.65). Veteran Jennifer Beckenberger (25.70) could also get into this race, though the best bet is that the top two seeds headed into the final will emerge on the Olympic Team.
Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace of the Bahamas was actually the fastest in the prelim, and though she’ll be relegated to the B-Final, her 25.36. After a best-time in the 100 free on Saturday, this prelims time leaves her pretty far off (.6) of her Bahamas National Record in this 50.
In the men’s sprint, not surprisingly Brent Hayden took the top seed in 22.33. That’s a comfortable margin over the second-seeded Richard Hortness (22.72), but it’s close enough that he’ll have to really work in the always-unpredictable 50 free. Expect none of the Canadians to be under the FINA Automatic qualifying time, but Hayden should get close.
A pair of young sprinters will be waiting in the wings too. Luke Peddie is the 3rd seed in 22.77, and American-trained Kyle Troskot is 4th in 22.94.
And in the other final of the last day of the meet, Andrew Ford took the top seed in the men’s 200 IM with a 2:01.83. A pair of teenagers Matt Kwatyra (2:04.31) and Gleb Suvorov (2:04.43).
Full Day 6 Results available here, and complete coverage in swimswam.ca.
