2023 CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS
After Summer McIntosh produced a jaw-dropping world record in the women’s 400 freestyle on the opening day of the 2023 Canadian Swimming Trials, more of the country’s superstars will get their programs started today as Maggie MacNeil and Josh Liendo contest the 100 fly.
MacNeil and Liendo, both coming off of successful NCAA Championship performances over in the U.S. that included one individual title apiece, hold the Canadian Record in the 100 fly, with MacNeil currently the reigning Olympic, Commonwealth and short course world champion.
Liendo was also the Commonwealth Games gold medalist in the event last summer and won bronze at the 2022 World Championships. Last week, he won the 100 free at the Men’s NCAA Championships while taking second in the 100 fly and producing the fastest 100 fly relay split in history.
Kylie Masse and Ingrid Wilm highlight the women’s 50 backstroke, with Masse being the reigning world champion in the event. Wilm, however, earned an upset win over Masse last night in the 100 back, showing career-best form.
In the men’s 50 back, Javier Acevedo leads the field after an impressive 100 back victory on Tuesday in a time of 53.83, putting him under the FINA ‘A’ cut. Acevedo set the Canadian Record in the 50 back last summer en route to winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games in 24.97.
Women’s 50 Backstroke Multi-Class PARA
- Niki Ens S3, 1:11.90
- Jordan Tucker S4, 1:05.34
- Aly Van Wyck-Smart S3, 1:14.83
- Hannah Burns S4, 1:05.64
- Alisson Gobeil S5, 58.31
Niki Ens, who edged out fellow S3 swimmer Aly Van-Wyck Smart to win the women’s 50 breaststroke multi-class event last night, qualified first for the final in the 50 back in a time of 1:11.90.
S4 swimmer Jordan Tucker‘s time of 1:05.34 ranks her second overall, while Van Wyck-Smart’s 1:14.83 puts her third.
Despite Alisson Gobeil producing the fastest time in the field at 58.31, since she’s in the S5 category, her time scores fewer points than those in S3 and S4.
Women’s 50 Backstroke – Prelims
Finals Qualifiers:
- Kylie Masse (TSC), 27.79
- Ingrid Wilm (CASC), 27.95
- Maddy Gatrall (WAC), 28.91
- Ashley McMillan (GO), 29.10
- Lila Higgo (UNCAN), 29.27
- Jordan Greber (GPP), 29.45
- Katie Schroeder (LOSC), 29.56
- Samiha Mohsen (TSC), 29.68
- Eloise Allen (UBCT), 29.76
- Clarke Morrison (NEW), 29.77
Kylie Masse claimed the top seed in the women’s 50 backstroke in a time of 27.79, just over four-tenths shy of her season-best time set in January at the Pro Swim Series stop in Knoxville (27.38).
Masse, the reigning world champion in this event, set the National Record in this event at 27.18 last April at the Canadian Trials, and was just over a tenth quicker (27.65) than she was this morning in the prelims last year.
Ingrid Wilm, who broke the 59-second barrier for the first time to upset Masse in last night’s 100 back final, qualified second overall in 27.95, having cruised to the win in the second-to-last heat. Wilm owns a PB of 27.39, set in the semi-finals of the 2022 World Championships where she went on to place fourth.
Maddy Gatrall, fresh out of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Championships competing for Akron, was the only other swimmer under 29 seconds this morning, clocking 28.91 for a new best time. Gatrall set her previous PB of 29.19 at the Canadian Junior & Senior Championships last July.
Men’s 50 Backstroke – Prelims
Finals Qualifiers:
- Javier Acevedo (AAC), 25.64
- Loic Courville Fortin (CAMO), 26.01
- Artem Selin (SCW), 26.18
- Tristan Jankovics (RCAQ), 26.40
- Lovro Serdarevic (UN-MAN) / Brandon Adams (DSC), 26.46
- –
- Alexander Lackovic (WAC), 26.52
- Wells Ginzer (MAVS), 26.81
- Paul Orogo (HYACK), 26.82
- Edouard Fullum-Huot (PCSC), 26.86
Canadian Record holder Javier Acevedo was the class of the field in the men’s 50 back, putting up the top time of the session in 25.64.
The 25-year-old won the 100 back last night in his fastest time since 2016, and will have his sights set on the 24.97 mark he produced last summer to win bronze at the Commonwealth Games in tonight’s final.
CAMO’s Loic Courville Fortin was three one-hundredths shy of his lifetime best to qualify second in 26.01, while Artem Selin, a German native who just completed his sophomore year at USC, was third-fastest in 26.01.
Women’s 100 Butterfly – Prelims
- Canadian Record: 55.59 – Maggie MacNeil (2021)
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 58.33
Finals Qualifiers:
- Maggie MacNeil (LAC), 57.30
- Katerine Savard (CAMO), 58.17
- Kamryn Cannings (UCSC), 58.73
- Ella Jansen (ESWIM), 59.22
- Rebecca Smith (UCSC), 59.59
- Victoria Raymond (ESWIM), 1:00.16
- Danielle Hanus (RAPID), 1:00.20
- Mia West (MANTA), 1:00.62
- Leilani Fack (LOSC), 1:00.67
- Clare Watson (UNCAN), 1:00.83
Olympic champion Maggie MacNeil got her meet off to a good start in the prelims of the women’s 100 fly, looking smooth and comfortable en route to the top time of the morning by nearly a second in 57.30
MacNeil, splitting 26.89 on the way out and 30.41 on the way home, slots into sixth in the 2022-23 world rankings with that performance, and she’ll have a very good shot at the world’s top time (56.58) in the final if all goes according to plan.
Although she opted out of racing individually at the 2022 World Championships, MacNeil still raced the 100 fly at the Canadian Trials last year, and was within two-tenths of her finals swim there (57.18) this morning.
MacNeil owns a personal best time of 55.59 from the Tokyo Olympics and went as fast as 56.36 last year, done en route to winning gold at the Commonwealth Games.
Veteran Katerine Savard had a strong prelim swim to qualify second overall in 58.17, just shy of what she went in the 2022 prelims (58.01) where she ultimately went 57.86 in the final. The 29-year-old made the World Championship semi-finals in this event last year and then went on to finish fifth at the Commonwealth Games.
University of Calgary Swim Club’s Kamryn Cannings qualified third overall in 58.73, breaking 59 seconds for the first time and moving up into sixth all-time in the girls’ 15-17 age group. Cannings also broke her own Alberta Provincial Record for 17-year-old girls that previously stood at 59.59, set less than two weeks ago at the Western Canadian Championships.
Ella Jansen neared her best time of 58.92 set earlier this month at the Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale to qualify fourth in the final at 59.22. Jansen was the runner-up to McIntosh in last night’s 400 free final, getting well under the FINA ‘A’ cut to likely qualify for the Worlds team.
Men’s 100 Butterfly – Prelims
Canadian Record: 50.88 – Josh Liendo (2022)- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 51.96
Finals Qualifiers:
- Josh Liendo (NYAC), 50.78 NR
- Ilya Kharun (UNCAN), 52.66
- Finlay Knox (HPCON), 53.06
- Filip Senc-Samardzic (TSC), 53.47
- Keir Ogilvie (UBCT), 54.06
- Mathieu Ouellet (CNQ), 54.16
- Gabriel Tejada (OTTSC), 54.20
- Thomas Mcdonald (UCSC), 54.29
- Alexandre Perreault (OTTSC), 54.59
- Justice Migneault (UBCT), 54.65
Josh Liendo looked pretty casual in this morning’s prelims of the men’s 100 fly, but his time was anything but.
Just days removed from an exceptional NCAA Championship debut performance for the University of Florida, Liendo was out swimming on his own in the fifth and final heat, well ahead of the field, touching in 50.78 to eclipse his Canadian Record.
The 20-year-old’s time takes out his previous mark of 50.88, set at the 2022 Canadian Trials, and inches him ahead of Shaine Casas for the top spot in the world this season.
| 2 | Shaine Casas |
USA | 50.80 | 03/04 |
| 3 | Simon Bucher |
AUT | 51.20 | 03/12 |
| 4 | Wang Changhao |
CHN | 51.45 | 03/22 |
| 5 | Noe Ponti |
SUI | 51.52 | 03/18 |
A product of the North York Aquatic Club, Liendo has now broken the 51-second barrier in the 100 fly four times, having also gone 50.97 twice at the 2022 World Championships where he won the bronze medal. He claimed Commonwealth gold last August in a time of 51.24.
Ilya Kharun, who set a personal best time of 51.54 in early March at the Fort Lauderdale PSS, qualified second overall in 52.66. The Sandpipers of Nevada product, who turned 18 in February, will have a very good chance of getting under the FINA ‘A’ cut tonight, with that mark sitting at 51.96. Kharun’s time from Fort Lauderdale ranks him second all-time in the Canadian 17-18 age group rankings, trailing Liendo’s 51.40.
Medley specialist Finlay Knox was third-fastest this morning in 53.06, while Toronto Swim Club’s Filip Senc-Samardzic reset his best time in 53.47 for fourth. Senc-Samrdzic’s previous best stood at 53.82, and with this swim he maintains his place as the #2 ranked Canadian in the 15-17 age group behind Liendo (52.13) and Kharun (52.31).
Women’s 400 Freestyle Multi-Class PARA
- Aurelie Rivard S10 (CNQ), 4:45.00
- Sabrina Duchesne S7 (UL), 5:29.93
- Katie Cosgriffe S10 (OAK), 5:02.82
- Abi Tripp S8 (CNQ), 5:28.96
- Mary Jibb S10 (MUSAC), 5:18.62
Aurelie Rivard, the reigning two-time Paralympic champion in the women’s S10 400 freestyle, led the multi-class prelims this morning in a time of 4:45.00.
S7 swimmer Sabrina Duchesne, who was fifth in this event at the Tokyo Paralympics, clocked 5:29.93 to rank second.
Men’s 400 Freestyle Multi-Class PARA
- Zach Zona S8 (NHAC), 4:47.76
- Philippe Vachon S8 (MEGO), 4:47.88
- Reid Maxwell S9 (EKSC), 4:40.17
- Noah Jaffe (NCA), 4:45.11
- Hunter Helberg S12 (FMSC), 5:04.88
- Caleb Arndt S13 (NEW), 4:58.64
Zach Zona and Philippe Vachon, both competing in the S8 category, qualified 1-2 in the men’s multi-class 400 free, with Zona out-touching Vachon by 12 one-hundredths in 4:47.76. Zona owns a best time of 4:42.05 from the 2019 Canadian Trials.
Women’s 200 Freestyle Multi-Class PARA
- Angela Marina S14 (BRANT), 2:16.57
- Emma Van Dyk S14 (BROCK), 2:22.28
- Niki Ens S3 (LASER), 4:54.31
- Alisson Gobeil S5 (CNJA), 3:33.38
- Jordan Tucker S4 (RCAQ), 4:18.24
- Hannah Burns S4 (LAC), 4:44.24
Angela Marina, who was sixth in the women’s S14 200 free at the Tokyo Paralympics, earned the top spot this morning in a time of 2:16.57. The 23-year-old owns a best of 2:15.16 set at the 2019 Parapan American Games where she won gold.
Men’s 200 Freestyle Multi-Class PARA
- Nicholas Bennett S14 (RAC), 1:56.46
- Tyson MacDonald S14 (ROW), 2:04.97
- Connor Bissett S14 (SBPS), 2:07.99
Nicholas Bennett was the top qualifier in the men’s multi-class 200 free, having won gold at the Commonwealth Games last summer in the S14 category. Bennett clocked 1:56.46 this morning, two seconds shy of his 1:54.41 PB from the 2022 Para Worlds.
Women’s 1500 Freestyle – Timed Finals
- Canadian Record: 15:57.15 – Brittany Maclean (2014)
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 16:29.57
Fastest heat swimming with finals.
Ella Cosgrove dropped 24 seconds from her best time to win the first heat of the women’s 1500 freestyle, touching in 17:12.90. Cosgrove had previously been 17:36.31 last May.
Men’s 800 Freestyle – Timed Finals
- Canadian Record: 7:41.86 – Ryan Cochrane (2011)
- FINA ‘A’ Cut: 7:53.11
Fastest heat swimming with finals.
Laon Kim broke his third National Age Group Record in as many swims so far this week in the men’s 800 freestyle, clocking 8:17.16 to lower his previous boys’ 13-14 mark of 8:23.15 set last July at the Canadian Junior & Senior Championships.
On Tuesday, the 14-year-old Kim broke his 400 free record in the prelims, bringing it down from 4:01.80 to 4:01.28, and then shattered that in 3:56.79 in the final.
