Canadian Olympic Trials, Night 6: Finlay Knox, Josh Liendo Fire National Records; Summer McIntosh Crushes 200 Fly

Photo Courtesy: Michael P. Hall/Swimming Canada

Canadian Olympic Trials, Night 6: Finlay Knox, Josh Liendo Fire National Records

After the women have taken center stage most nights at Canadian Olympic Trials, Saturday’s penultimate evening was a chance for the men to shine. Then again, it takes a national record these days to knock Summer McIntosh out of the headlines.

Finlay Knox and Josh Liendo each lowered their nationals records, in the 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle, respectively, to earn places at the Paris Games. It came in the same session that McIntosh neared a best time in the 200 fly that stands as the top time in the world this year.

The action from the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre:

Women’s 200 butterfly

Summer McIntosh posted the fastest time in the world this year at 2:04.33. That’s an Olympic qualifying time and bests Regan Smith’s 2:04.80. It also won the event by 7.5 seconds, with no one else broaching an Olympic cut.

Mabel Zavaros finished second in 2:11.85, .08 ahead of Breckin Gormley.

Men’s 200 individual medley

What shaped up as a battle between Finlay Knox and Tristan Jankovics turned into a Knox record. The Olymian went 1:56.07, which improved his Canadian mark of 1:56.07. It also put more than three seconds ahead of Jankovics, the 400 IM qualifier.

The Ohio Stater finished second in 1:59.32. The B cut is 1:58.53. Lorne Wigginton was third in 2:00.90 followed by Collyn Gagne. Backstroker Blake Tierney’s time of 2:02.34 got him fifth place.

Men’s 50 freestyle

Josh Liendo fired a warning shot at the sprint field by going 21.48, clipping .13 off his national mark. Only three performers – Cameron McEvoy, Ben Proud and Vladyslav Bukhov – have been quicker than Liendo this year.

Yuri Kisil just missed out on an A cut by taking second place in 22.01. That is a B cut, with the A cut at 21.96. Edouard Fullum-Huot was third in 22.14.

Women’s 800 freestyle

Julia Strojnowska pulled a bit of a surprise by dropping nearly nine seconds out of lane 2 to get the win. Her time of 3:38.36 claimed an exciting win over Emma Finlin by .12 seconds.

Strojnowska trailed Finlin by more than three seconds at 600 meters. But she clipped back six tenths on each of the next two 50s. Finlin came home in 31.95, and Strojnowska roared over the final 50 in 30.16 to get to the wall first.

Julie Brouseau was third in 8:41.03, followed by Sienna Angove in 8:43.07.

Para events

Jaime Cosgriffe won the multi-class women’s 100 backstroke in 1:08.52. She’s an S10 swimmer. Shelby Newkirk was second with Aurelie Rivard third.

Emma Van Dyk set an S14 national record in the morning at 1:10.99, trimming six tenths off her mark. She was slower at night to finish sixth.

Reid Maxwell bettered his Canadian S8 record in the 100 back to 1:08.86. That’s a drop of more than a half-second and gave him the win in a three-swimmer field.

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Kanga1

7 months ago

Some magnificent swims/times from the Canadian athletes. Be interesting to see how they hold up after the US and Australian Olympic Swimming Trials.
Either way its going to be a Fun Olympic Games!