Mel Zajac Jr. International: Meet Comes to Close With Last Morning Finals Session

VANCOUVER, Canada, May 25. THE last day of swimming at the Mel Zajac Jr. International featured plenty more meet records being wiped out, including one from 1992.

The Aussies had a strong start to the day when Kylie Palmer won the women's 800 free with a time of 8:27.07 with compatriot Bronte Barratt taking second in 8:29.13. Both swimmers beat the previous meet record of 8:36.19 set by Kelsey Ditto last year. Tanya Hunks took third in 8:40.21.

Jillian Tyler beat Canadian-record holder Annamay Pierse, 32.38 to 32.82, in the women's 50 breast with Taylor Peterson finishing third in 33.00. For the men, Scott Dickens touched out Russ Mahan, 28.78 to 28.88, while Mike Brown placed third in 29.02.

Audrey Lacroix broke one of the longest standing meet records with a time of 2:10.65 in the women's 200 fly. The previous record had been a 2:11.91 shared by Tracy Caulkins from 1980 and Julie Majer in 1992. Stephanie Horner took second in 2:12.16, while MacKenzie Downing placed third in 2:13.84.

Adam Sioui, the Canadian-record holder with a 1:57.98 to his credit, just missed his standard with a meet-record readout of 1:58.12 in the men's 200 fly. He surpassed the 1:58.69 set by Takashi Yamamoto in 2000. Stefan Hirniak placed second in 1:59.80, while Tim Ruse took third in 2:04.10.

Julia Wilkinson clipped the meet record in the women's 100 free with a time of 55.05. She cleared the 55.17 set by Jenny Thompson in 2000, while Canadian-record holder Erica Morningstar placed second in 55.55. Barratt touched third in 56.19.

Leith Brodie overtook Colin Russell, 50.20 to 50.53, in the men's 100 free. Russell initially led Brodie, 24.12 to 24.22, at the 50-meter mark. Tom Miller finished third in 50.57.

In another close contest, Gabrielle Soucisse beat Lindsay Seemann, 1:03.75 to 1:03.85, in the women's 100 back. Maggie Meyer rounded out the top three in 1:04.68. For the men, Tobias Oriwol snatched the title in 56.55, while Jake Tapp (57.06) and Brian Johns (58.36) finished second and third.

Ryan Cochrane, who has the Canadian record with a 14:54.66 from April, won the men's 1500 free in 15:19.34. Kier Maitland grabbed second in 15:58.90, while Steven Bielby earned third in 16:22.76.

In the women's 400 medley relay, Australia's Ellen Fullerton, Ashleigh McCleery, Palmer and Barratt won in 4:19.21, while teammates Brodie, Craig Calder, Garth Kates and Miller won the men's race in 3:45.62.

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