The Canadian Olympic swimming and para-swimming trials kicked off Monday in Toronto. Quickly, the first qualifying waves showed the speed of the athletes, who are all fighting for a place at the Paris Games.
The toughest qualification of the day takes place in the women’s 100m butterfly. Ontarian Maggie Mac Neil achieved the best time (56 s 54/100), ahead of Quebecers Mary-Sophie Harvey (58.41 s) and Katerine Savard (58.65 s)
All three easily reached the final, scheduled for 6:08 p.m. (EDT). Swimming with them will be Rebecca Smith, Kylie Masse, Danielle Hanus, Kamryn Cannings, Ashlyn Massey, Leilani Fack and Brooklyn Douthwright.
To join the delegation, the swimmers will have to cover the distance in 57.92 s, which constitutes the Olympic standard.
Each day, the qualifying waves will start at 9 h 27 (EDT). The finals will begin at 17 h 45.
The tests will be broadcast on HERE Tou.tv and on the Radio-Canada Sports website from 13 at 19 may.
You will be able to see the best moments of the tests during the Sports Week-End des 18 broadcasts and 19 May, at 3 p.m. h, on HERE TV.
Just one swimmer will join Mac Neil, Olympic champion in the event in Tokyo, who could become the first woman to defend her 100m butterfly title. Savard, Harvey and Smith are the most likely to accompany him to the French capital.
Earlier in the day, 17-year-old star Summer McIntosh, the headliner at the national trials, soared through qualifying in the 400m freestyle. She dominated her heat with a time of 4:09.83.
The final is scheduled for 6 p.m. (EDT). McIntosh is expected to start seven events during testing.
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Summer McIntosh
Photo: AFP / MANAN VATSYAYANA
Other swimmers who reached the 400m freestyle final were Kathryn Hazle, Mabel Zavaros, Julie Brousseau, Julia Strojnowska, Emma O’Croinin, Ella Cosgrove, Megan Willar, Ella Janser and Maxine Clark.
In this same event, for men, the final will pit Lorne Wigginton, Eric Brown, Ethan Ekk, Timothe Barbeau, Alexander Axon, Jordi Vilchez, Jeremy Bragshaw, Nathan Versluys, Sebastian Paulins and Zachary Parise.
In para-swimming, Sebastian Massabie improved his own world record in the 50m butterfly S5 qualifications with a time of 38.68 s.
In Paris, the Canadian swimming team will be a figurehead for medal hopes.
Representatives of the maple leaf have won more medals in this discipline during the last two Olympic Games (12) than in the previous seven combined (11).
The national Olympic trials will take place until Sunday in the Queen City. The Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11, then the Paralympic Games will be held from August 28 to September 8.
