Canadian Trials: Summer McIntosh Opens with Prelims 4:10 in 400 free
As the United States wraps up its selection competition for this summer’s biggest meet, Canada opened its six-day World Championships Trials in British Columbia on Saturday morning. The first prelims session featured men’s and women’s action in the 200-meter breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 400 freestyle, with Olympic medalists Kylie Masse and Summer McIntosh headlining.
Nearly a year removed from capturing four individual medals (three gold) at the Olympic Games in Paris, McIntosh began preparation for her next global appearance. Her first swim was the quickest of the prelims session in the women’s 400 free, coasting to the win in the final heat of seven in 4:10.04.
McIntosh was .19 seconds ahead of Ella Jansen for the top seed in finals. It’s nearly 12 seconds off her best time of the season (3:58.28), but with a margin of more than seven seconds ahead of her nearest chaser in the heat (Emma O’Croinin in 4:17.31), McIntosh shut it down early to save up for a busy week.
O’Croinin is the fifth seed in the final, with McIntosh and Jansen leading. Ella Cosgrove went 4:14.94, with Emma Finlin fourth in 4:15.17. The A cut is 4:10.23.
McIntosh entered as the top seed in the 400 free, the final event of the morning session at Saanich Commonwealth Place in British Columbia. The six-day meet includes multi-class paraswimming competition within the prelims and finals sessions.
In the women’s 200 breaststroke, Mary-Sophie Harvey advanced to the final as the top seed, thanks to a prelims swim of 2:25.70. Harvey’s effort was nearly two seconds quicker than the 2:27.44 of Sophie Angus, while Alexanne Lepage was the final athlete to go sub-2:30 in the morning with a mark of 2:29.51. Harvey is under the A standard for Worlds, 2:25.91.
Harvey had been the second seed in the women’s 400 freestyle behind McIntosh but scratched out of the event.
Lithuanian international Aleksas Savickas, wearing his University of Florida cap, was quickest in the men’s 200 breast at 2:13.44. Canadian junior record holder Oliver Dawson was second in 2:13.97, with Justice Migneault third and Apollo Hess fourth. All are chasing the A cut of 2:10.32.
Masse led the way in the women’s 100 backstroke, the only swimmer under a minute at 59.23. Taylor Ruck finished second in 1:00.04, followed by Ingrid Wilm in 1:00.40 and teen Madison Kryger’s 1:00.60. The A cut is 1:00.46, which should be no problem.
Blake Tierney led the way in the men’s 100 back with a time of 54.02. The double Paris Olympian will have the national record of 53.35 set in 2019 by Markus Thormeyer in his sights. Parker Deshayes was second in 54.85, followed by Cole Pratt under 55 seconds. The A cut is 53.94.
The men’s 400 freestyle was led by Lorne Wigginton, who registered a prelims mark of 3:51.50, which was just ahead of the 3:51.59 of Ethan Ekk.