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2022 Bell Canadian Trials: Summer McIntosh Adds 200 Free Title
Summer McIntosh tacked another potential event to her 2022 World Championships program Thursday night, winning the women’s 200 freestyle at the 2022 Bell Canadian Trials.
McIntosh clocked in at 1:55.39. She was two seconds quicker than her time in prelims, a 1:57.61 that was the fastest of the heat.
McIntosh is within a second of Taylor Ruck’s national record (1:54.44). It’s also three tenths quicker than her previous personal-best. It doubles up on her 400 free title from earlier in the week. Given McIntosh’s broad area of expertise – up to the 1,500 free, plus the 400 individual medley and potentially even the 200 butterfly – the week has been instructive in narrowing her focus.
“I try not to focus on who it is that I am racing with or who I am trying to beat,” McIntosh said in a Swimming Canada press release. “It’s more who is beside me. I’m just trying to get my hand on the wall first. It is kind of a surreal thing to race people I have looked up to. It’s just a great opportunity I get to have.”
McIntosh adds another valuable cog to the Canadian 800 free relay, which will be crafted from a field of six swimmers under the FINA A standard in the 200 free. Penny Oleksiak was second in 1:57.01. Ruck edged into third place in 1:57.60, .01 up on Kayla Sanchez, who celebrated her 21st birthday Thursday. Katerine Savard (1:58.28) and Rebecca Smith (1:58.48) were in the top six and present relay prelims options in Budapest.
The depth is valuable in case swimmers are drawn into other events at Worlds … such as Kylie Masse, who has the option to swim the 50 fly. She won the event at 26.96, a tenth up on Kamry Cannings. The time is outside the FINA standard (26.32). Masse already won the 50 back and 100 back this week at Saanich Commonwealth Place.
The rest of the third night of finals was fairly anticlimactic. Josh Liendo went 23.72 in the men’s 50 fly in the morning, the top seed by nearly a second, but he skipped the final, which was won by Alex Perreault in 24.35. Ruslan Gaziev fended off Finlay Knox down the stretch of the men’s 200 free, winning in 1:47.44. Knox was second in 1:47.92, though Gaziev, ostensibly a sprinter, was quicker by nearly a half-second on the final 50. Both are slower than the A standard (1:47.06).
The breaststroke events represent a relative weak spot for the Canadians. Sophie Angus won the event in 1:07.60, just off the A standard of 1:07.43. The Northwestern graduate student was first in the final by .45 seconds, roaring home with a 35.37.
“I was shocked,” she said. “I just wanted to see what I could throw down and I’m really happy with that swim.”
Second was Rachel Nicol in 1:08.15. That left two Olympians on the outside looking in. Kelsey Wog, who has struggled since the Tokyo Olympics, was sixth in prelims and third in the final at 1:08.34. Her best time is a 1:06.77. Sydney Pickrem, who slotted into the medley relay at the Olympics, was sixth in 1:08.92. Veteran Kierra Smith couldn’t capitalize on the open path to Worlds, finishing fifth in 1:08.85.
The men’s 100 breast went to James Dergousoff in 1:01.30, more than a second slower than the A standard. Justin Migneault tied for second with Gabe Mastromatteo.
The Canadian record of 1 54.44 is held by Ruck not Oleksiak
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