Summer McIntosh Sticks to Core Four Events For 2026 Canadian Trials, Liendo Absent

2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials

• July 5-9, 2026
• Montreal, Canada — Montreal Olympic Pool
• LCM (50 Meters)
• Selection Criteria
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live Results

The 2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials kick off on Sunday, and Swimming Canada has released the psych sheet for the meet.

The highlight of the psych sheet is Canadian world record holder Summer McIntosh. After experimenting with a fifth event last year, and winning the bronze medal at Worlds after setting the 2nd fastest time in history at last year’s Canadian Trials, she is only entered in her core four events for this year’s meet — 400 free, 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM.

McIntosh’s only major international meet this summer will be the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine after she elected not to attend the Commonwealth Games. Pan Pacs is only four days long, which might be responsible for McIntosh shortening her lineup for the Canadian Trials.

It is important to note that McIntosh will be eligible to swim any event at Pan Pacs once she earns qualification with Section III Rule B stating:

“Selection does not guarantee specific event entry. Individual entries will be determined by the Team Leader and Head Coach. Relay team composition will be determined by the Head Coach and the Appointed Relay Coaches, with approval from the Team Leader. Specific relay meetings will be arranged to communicate decisions on the team.”

McIntosh is the world record holder in the 400 free, 200 IM, and 400 IM, all of which were set at last year’s Canadian Trials. She has been very open about the fact that she is hunting the 200 fly world record, and we could see that fall on the first day of the meet.

On the men’s side, there is a significant absence in the form of short course meters world record holder Josh Liendo. He is already a member of the Commonwealth Games team at the end of July, and will be swimming at that meet regardless.

Australian sprinters Cameron McEvoy and Kyle Chalmers chose not to attend Pan Pacs in favor of the Commonwealth Games, which suggests Liendo may be making a similar decision. He is still theoretically eligible to qualify for Pan Pacs under Priority 5 on the selection criteria, which states:

“The Swimming Canada Selection Committee has the discretion to select additional eligible swimmers on the recommendation of the Swimming Canada High Performance Director to a maximum of 26 female Swimmers and 26 male Swimmers, inclusive of those Swimmers selected in Priority 1,2,3 and 4.”

Notable Entries Non-Commonwealth Athletes

Women

• Taylor Ruck — 50 free (1st seed), 100 free (1st seed), 100 back (2nd seed), 50 fly (1st seed), 100 fly (1st seed)
• Ingrid Wilm — 50 free (18th seed), 100 free (8th seed), 50 back (2nd seed), 100 back (3rd seed), 200 back (2nd seed)
• Mary-Sophie Harvey — 100 free (2nd seed), 1500 free (2nd seed), 100 breast (4th seed), 100 fly (2nd seed), 200 fly (3rd seed), 200 IM (2nd seed), 400 IM (2nd seed)
• Alexanne LePage — 50 breast (1st seed), 100 breast (1st seed), 200 breast (1st seed), 200 IM (8th seed), 400 IM (11th seed)

Men

• Finlay Knox — 100 free (6th seed), 200 free (7th seed), 100 breast (2nd seed), 50 fly (1st seed), 100 fly (1st seed), 200 IM (1st seed)
• Ethan Ekk — 200 free (2nd seed), 400 free (1st seed), 100 back (6th seed), 200 back (1st seed)
• Blake Tierney — 100 free (20th seed), 50 back (1st seed), 100 back (1st seed), 200 back (2nd seed)

Commonwealth Team

Women

• Sophie Angus — 50 breast (2nd seed), 100 breast (2nd seed), 200 breast (2nd seed)
• Julie Brousseau — 200 free (2nd seed), 400 free (4th seed), 800 free (3rd seed), 400 IM (4th seed)
• Ella Jansen — 100 free (11th seed), 200 free (1st seed), 400 free (2nd seed), 800 free (39th seed), 200 back (5th seed), 50 fly (8th seed), 100 fly (4th seed), 200 fly (2nd seed), 200 IM (3rd seed), 400 IM (3rd seed)
• Delia Lloyd — 50 free (14th seed), 100 free (18th seed), 50 back (6th seed), 100 back (5th seed), 200 back (3rd seed)
• Kylie Masse — 50 free (22nd seed), 50 back (1st seed), 100 back (1st seed), 50 fly (3rd seed)

Men

• Oliver Dawson — 50 breast (1st seed), 100 breast (1st seed), 200 breast (1st seed)
• Benjamin Loewen — 200 back (9th seed), 100 fly (8th seed), 200 fly (3rd seed)
• Antoine Sauve — 50 free (8th seed), 100 free (2nd seed), 200 free (1st seed)
• Ben Winterborn — 50 back (2nd seed), 100 back (4th seed), 200 back (11th seed)
• Lorne Wigginton — 200 free (6th seed), 400 free (3rd seed), 200 IM (3rd seed), 400 IM (2nd seed)

Selection Criteria

This meet will serve as the primary selection event for the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships in August. There will be a maximum of 26 women and 26 men selected to the meet.

• Priority 1: The top finishing athlete in the ‘A’ final will be selected
• Priority 2: The top four finishing athletes in the women’s 100 free and 200 free and the men’s 100 free and 200 free
• Priority 3: All remaining swimmers who swam an AQUA ‘A’ time at the meet will be ranked according to the 2025 World Rankings. Swimmers will be selected in rank order to a maximum of 24 women and 24 men.
• Priority 4: Where spots are open, 2nd place finishers will be ranked according to their percentage of the AQUA ‘A’ standard. Swimmers will be selected in rank order to a maximum of 24 women and 24 men.
• Priority 5: Swimming Canada has the discretion to select additional eligible swimmers on the recommendation of the High Performance Director to a maximum of 26 women and 26 men.

AQUA ‘A’ Standards 2026