Canadian Olympic Trials, Night 7: Josh Liendo Sets World No. 1 100 Fly; Summer McIntosh Scares Canadian Mark in 200 IM

Photo Courtesy: Michael P. Hall/Swimming Canada

Canadian Olympic Trials, Night 7: Josh Liendo Sets World No. 1 100 Fly

Josh Liendo raised expectations by setting a Canadian record in the men’s 100 butterfly Sunday morning at Canadian Olympic Trials.

Safe to say he exceeded them at night.

Liendo blasted a time of 50.06 to re-set the record and creep toward the hallowed territory that is 49 seconds in winning at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. It’s the fastest time in the world this year and the second fastest of the Olympic cycle.

It concludes a sensational meet from the Florida swimmer.

Women’s 50 freestyle

No one hit the A standard of 24.70 seconds, but Taylor Ruck and Penny Oleksiak delivered an outstanding race. Oleksiak got her hand to the wall first in 25.06, with Ruck following in 25.09.

Ainsley McMurray edged Sarah Fournier by .03 seconds for third. McMurray clocking in at 25.43.

Men’s 100 butterfly

How good was Josh Liendo’s time? It’s the third-fastest time ever in a textile suit. It’s not only the fastest time in the world in 2024 (previously Noe Ponti’s 50.16), but it’s the second-fastest of the entire last Olympic cycle, trailing only a 50.01 thrown down by Caeleb Dressel at Phillips 66 International in 2022.

Only four swimmers – Dressel, Kristof Milak, Michael Phelps, Milorad Cavic – have been under 50 seconds. Liendo and Ponti are joined by five others who have broken 51 seconds in 2024 (a group that includes Andrei Minakov, who won’t be at the Paris Olympics as a Russian international.)

That’s crazy speed for the North York Aquatic Club swimmers.

He’ll have company in Paris. Ilya Kharun solidified his A cuts by going 51.09 for second. He needed that speed thanks to Finlay Knox, who continued to show his all-around improvement by finishing third in 51.42, also an A cut. Patrick Hussey was fourth.

Women’s 200 individual medley

Sydney Pickrem delivered a heroic swim to guarantee and individual event for herself at the Olympics. She took the action to Summer McIntosh and led at 150 meters before McIntosh outsplit her on the way home.

The result was A cuts for both and four total in the race. McIntosh won in 2:07.06, just .17 off her national record. Pickrem wasn’t far back in 2:07.68 to get to her third Olympics. Mary-Sophie Harvey was quicker than the best time she swam at the World Championships in 2023 but it was good only for third in 2:09.57. Ashley McMillan also got under the A standard in 2:11.00.

Following that crowd was Ella Jansen in fifth. Tokyo Olympians Bailey Andison and Tessa Cieplucha finished seventh and ninth, respectively.

Men’s 1,500 freestyle

Eric Brown capped a strong week by winning the 1,500 free in 15:23.87. That’s well shy of the A cut of 15:00.99.

He held off a pair of teenagers. Timothe Barbeau, who had a big time drop in the 800, finished second in 15:26.58. Olivier Risk followed two seconds later. Sebastian Paulins also broke 15:30.

Para Events

Aurelie Rivard capped the meet with a win in the women’s 50 freestyle. The S10 swimmer went 27.99. Second place went to Danielle Dorris, who improved her S7 national mark by a tenth to 33.40. Mary Jibb, who finished fourth, likewise bettered her S9 national mark in 29.52.

Sebastien Massabie set two Canadian marks, chopping four tenths off his S4 50 free mark to win in 38.08. He also took eight tenths off the 200 free record in 3:07.00, finishing second to Nicholas Bennett. The S14 swimmer went 1:54.78.

Angela Marina won the women’s 200 free in 2:16.49.

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Kanga1

3 months ago

It shall be a riveting race come the Olympics! Ofcourse there’s still the US Trials with Dressel , the Australian Trials with Temple. So they may have an answer to Liendo! I’m so looking forward to Paris!