Bell Canadian Trials, Night 2 Finals: Lorne Wigginton Downs Super-Suited Canadian 400 IM Mark
On paper, there isn’t much juice in the men’s side of the draw at Bell Canadian Trials. Josh Liendo is not taking part this year. Ilya Kharun is American (again). That leaves a vacuum of stars, certainly in comparison to the leading lights on the women’s side.
Lorne Wigginton provided a jolt on Monday, though.
Wigginton went 4:11.32 to take down a long-standing Canadian record in the men’s 400 individual medley in Montreal. The time slices .09 off the mark set at the Beijing Olympics by Brian Johns, one of the more enduring Canadian records. It comes on the heels of Summer McIntosh dashing a super-suited world record on Sunday night in the 200 fly to open the meet.
All the action from the Olympic Park in Montreal on the second night of five:
Women’s 400 individual medley
A year ago, Summer McIntosh made history with an all-time records blitz at Canadian Trials. Three world records, five national marks – it was one of the most singular, decorated meets ever assembled by a swimmer.
Sunday’s opener to Bell Canadian Trials in Montreal hinted that she may be on that road again this year. A second record didn’t materialize on Monday, but a season-best and world-leading time did.
McIntosh went 4:27.35 to win the 400 individual medley, an event in which she set the world record in Victoria last June. She was nearly 11 seconds ahead of a deep field.
The time is 2.7 seconds off her world record of 4:23.65. It’s quicker than the world-leading 4:28.13 he popped at the Pro Swim Series stop in Austin. No one else had cracked 4:30 this year, with Yu Zidi second in the world at 4:30.79.
Ella Jansen was second in 4:38.17. Third place went to Mary-Sophie Harvey in 4:43.26. (Harvey had entered with the sixth- and seventh-fastest times in the world this year, led by her 4:34.29 from Mare Nostrum.) Julie Brousseau was fourth in 4:44.34, and Kathryn Hazle was the only other swimmers to break 4:50 in fifth at 4:46.64.
Men’s 400 individual medley
When Lorne Wigginton went 4:12.81 at the World Juniors Championships in 2023, there was a sense that the senior national record might finally come down. It has taken the better part of three years, but the Michigan swimmer has gotten it done, beating Tristan Jankovics to it.
Wigginton went 4:11.32 Monday to get .09 seconds under Brian Johns’ mark one month shy of its 18th birthday. The time ranks 15th in the world this year.
Jankovics was second in 4:16.57. It was a gap back to third-place Jacques Harrison in 4:20.78, then another five seconds to Aiden Kirk in 4:25.52.
Women’s 100 freestyle
A night after setting a best time in winning the 100 backstroke, Taylor Ruck was nearly at it again. The 26-year-old went 53.06, her fastest time since a 53.03 at Worlds in 2019. Her lifetime best is 52.72 from Pan Pacs in 2018.
Ruck routed a weak field. Sarah Fournier was second in 54.75, .01 up on Leah Tigert. Reina Liu and Sylivia Statkevicius delivered 54.92, the latter from the B final. Leilani Fack was fifth in 55.03, .01 ahead of Brooklyn Douthwright.
The fastest time from prelims was from former Canadian international Kayla Sanchez, who went 53.86. Sanchez now represents the Philippines but still trains in Canada after a decorated college career there.
Men’s 100 freestyle
Veteran Ruslan Gaziev led the way for the sprinters with a time of 48.69. Second place went to Antoine Sauve in 49.16. He was followed closely by Finlay Knox in 49.20 and Yuri Kisil in 49.21. Fifth place went to Laon Kim in 49.39.
Eight swimmers cracked 50 seconds, with Filip Senc-Samardzic sixth in 49.51.
Women’s 50 backstroke
It’s quick start to the meet for the backstrokes, back in the water for the second straight day. The 50 ended up with Kylie Masse winning, her time of 27.35 seconds just two tenths off her lifetime best. She was nearly a half-second up on Ingrid Wilm, who secured second place with a time of 27.82 seconds.
Third was Madison Kryger in 28.27. Sienna Rodgers followed after a big gap at 28.76, a gulf so vast that it included the B final winner Lexi Stephens in 29.67. Lucy Weins and Reina Liu also broke 29 seconds.
Men’s 50 backstroke
Veteran Javier Acevedo won the men’s race in 25.10, exactly .2 seconds off his national mark from 2023. Loic Courville-Fortin was the nearest challenger in 25.34, .02 up on Blake Tierney and .03 up on Benjamin Winterborn. Parker Deshayes finished fifth in 25.61, though B final winner Charles Gould’s 25.48 was quicker.
Paraswimming events
Sebastian Massabie set another Canadian record, lowering his S5 mark in the men’s 50 butterfly by six tenths. He clocked in at 35.21 seconds to win.
Reid Maxwell won the men’s 100 free in 1:00.16, giving the S8 swimmer the win in the multiclass event. Fernando Liu’s 53.90 was the quickest time of three S10s.
Danielle Dorris started the session by winning the women’s 50 fly in 34.43. She edged fellow S7 swimmer Tess Routliffe by just under two seconds.
At age 30, Aurelie Rivard is still winning races, the S10 swimmer claiming the women’s 100 free in 1:01.37. She beat fellow S10s Mary Jibb and Arianna Hunsicker to the win.