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VANCOUVER, B.C., Canada, June 2. OLYMPIC champion Misty Hyman took the next step on the comeback trail this weekend with two impressive victories at the Zajac International meet in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Hyman, who won her 12th US national title in Indianapolis in April, taking the 100m fly in 59.78, easily won both the 100 and 200 fly here while in the midst of heavy training. Her 200 — which she won by five seconds — was particularly noteworthy, as her 2:13.91 was only a second slower than her Nationals time in April. She also took the 100 in 1:01.67.
Misty wasn't the only Olympian flexing his or her muscles in this beautiful city in the Pacific Northwest. The USA's Tom Wilkens and Canada's Morgan Knabe also turned in solid performances in the midst of heavy training.
Knabe, in particular, served notice that he plans on being a player in Barcelona, as the swept the 100 and 200m breaststroke events, clocking 1:02.13 in the 100 and 2:16.37 in the double century.
Wilkens, a bronze medalist in Sydney in the 200 IM, won both medleys, each time defeating Canada's Tobias Oriwol, a sophomore-to-be at Wilkens' alma mater, Stanford University. Wilkens clocked 2:05.87 in the 200 and 4:26.94 in the 400 medley. He also was second in the 200 breast, pushing Knabe all the way with his 2:16.74. Oriwol won the 200 back in 2:01.84, easily dispensing with Brian Johns.
Canada's Mike Mintenko was a double winner, breezing to victory in the 100m fly, his specialty, in 54.07, and branching out to notch a win in the 200 free (1:51.74).
On the women's side, Britain's Alison Sheppard, who is training in Canada, took the 50 free in a swift 25.50 and added the 50 fly (28.11).
US Olympian Gabrielle Rose also turned in some noteworth performances, as she made two trips to the victory stand with wins in the 100 free (56.66) and 200 IM (2:16.87).
Canada's Rhi Leier who swept all three breaststroke events, looked particularly impressive in the 100 with her 1:09.78.
Erin Gammel won the 50 and 100 back, while 15 year-old
Brittany Reimer swept the 400 and 800 free.