Canadian Trials, Night 4 Finals: Ilya Kharun Dominates 200 Butterfly
Familiar names and Olympic medalists have highlighted the first three days of competition at the Canadian Trials for this summer’s World Championships in Singapore. While Summer McIntosh has been on a world-record assault, with standards set in the 400 freestyle and 200 individual medley, Ilya Kharun (100 butterfly) and Josh Liendo (50 freestyle) have earned victories in men’s competition.
Here’s how the action unfolded on Night Four:
- Live Results
- Psych Sheet
- Live Steam (CBC Sports on Youtube)
- Canadian Trials Preview
- Day 1 Prelims Recap
- Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap
- Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
- Night 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap
Women’s 200 Butterfly
A fourth Canadian record in as many days was managed by Summer McIntosh, as the 18-year-old posted the No. 2 time in history with a mark of 2:02.26. That mark was not far off the world record of 2:01.81, which has been held by China’s Liu Zige since 2009. McIntosh was followed in second place by Ella Jansen, who touched in 2:09.68.
Read more on Summer McIntosh’s latest Canadian record.
Men’s 200 Butterfly
Reigning Olympic bronze medalist Ilya Kharun made a run at his national record before touching the wall for a convincing triumph in 1:53.41. Kharun holds the Canadian record at 1:52.80, posted at the Olympic Games in Paris, and he pushed the pace during the opening half of the race, going through the first lap in 24.86 and touching at the midway point in 53.27. Kharun made the turn at the 150-meter point at 1:22.98.
Kharun was the winner of the 100 butterfly earlier in the meet and will look to complete the fly trifecta on Thursday when he contests the 50 distance.
Women’s 100 Freestyle
The Olympic co-champion in 2016, Penny Oleksiak nailed down a qualifying time for the World Champs in the 100 freestyle behind a swim of 54.03. Oleksiak was just behind Taylor Ruck at the turn, but moved to the front of the field down the final length, with Ruck placing second in 54.41. Brooklyn Douthwright also dipped under the 55-second barrier, as she touched for third place in 54.74.
Men’s 100 Freestyle
After a year away from the sport serving an anti-doping suspension for a whereabouts violation, Ruslan Gaziev returned to the top of his country’s rankings in the 100 freestyle. Out ahead of the field in 23.26, he held off a hard-charging Antoine Sauve down the stretch by five hundredths, 48.37 to 48.42. Both men were outside of the World Aquatics qualifying time for the upcoming Singapore Worlds, but Swimming Canada is likely to field a 400 free relay.
In an upset, Josh Liendo finished outside the top-two as he clocked 48.62 to finish third. Liendo is the three-time NCAA champion in the 100-yard free and he had already won the 50 free and finished second in the 100 fly this week. The fourth-best time of the night belonged to Nikoli Blackman, who went 48.66 in the B-final.
Women’s 50 Breaststroke
Alexanne LePage added to her earlier victory in the 100 breaststroke by clocking 30.92 for the top spot here, putting her five hundredths ahead of veteran Sophie Angus (30.97). Both swimmers finished outside the qualifying tine, but LePage previously matched the requisite mark in the 100-meter event. Third went to Shoana Branton in 31.16. The top time of the night actually came in the B-final as Anita Bottazzo, an Italian swimming at the University of Florida, jumped to No. 6 in the world with her time of 30.15.
Men’s 50 Breaststroke
The top-two finishers here repeated their finish from the 100 breaststroke. Teenager Oliver Dawson shined with a time of 27.80, well outside the qualifying time for Singapore but likely good enough to send him to the World Junior Championships. Apollo Hess grabbed second in 28.28, just ahead of a tie for third between Noah Chang and Stephen Moore, with both going 28.32.
Para Swimming
Jaime Cosgriffe totaled the most Para points in the women’s 100 butterfly, as she went 1:07.96 while competing in the S10 class. In the S13 class, Alyssa Smyth set a Canadian record with a swim of 1:06.42. On the men’s side, Fernando Lu (S10) was timed in 58.20 to top the points table while Nicholas Bennett went 57.50 to set a national record in the S14 classification.
In the women’s 50 freestyle, Arianna Hunsicker swam a time of 28.49 in the S10 class for the top scoring swim, while Lu won his second men’s race of the night with a mark of 24.44. Sebastian Massabie set a new national record for S5 with his time of 35.42.