Canadian Women Breaking Out in Rio After First Olympic Medal in 20 Years

Penny Oleksiak
Photo Courtesy: Vaughn Ridley/Swimming Canada

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By David Rieder

It was no strange sight to see traditional powerhouses Australia and the United States on the podium in the women’s 400 free relay. But on the bronze medal step, there was Canada, less than a second behind the Americans, and winning a medal in women’s swimming the first time in two decades.

When Marianne Limpert picked up the silver in the 200 IM at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Sandrine Mainville was four years old and Chantal van Landeghem was two. Taylor Ruck and Penny Oleksiak were not even born until 2000.

The team they beat out was a veteran squad from the Netherlands, one that had won a medal at every major meet since the 2007 World Championships. Three of the four members of the Dutch squad that won gold in 2008—Femke Heemskerk, Inge Dekker and defending 100 free gold medalist Ranomi Kromowidjojo—swam on Saturday’s squad.

Kromowidjojo anchored in 52.20, but Oleksiak held her off with plenty to spare, coming home in a blistering 52.72.

“It’s pretty surreal, to be honest,” van Landeghem said. “We had high goals coming in, and I just hope that other Canadians can draw inspiration from this and motivation and continue that through the rest of the Games.”

For the past eight years, that inspiration has come from Ryan Cochrane. Cochrane had his breakout meet at the Olympics in Beijing, when he won the bronze medal in the 1500 free, and he has been on the podium in that event at every international meet he’s swum in since.

But Saturday, the team had to pick Cochrane up.

He’s had success in the 400 free over the years, including winning a bronze medal in the 400 free at the World Championships. But in a deep field in Rio, Cochrane finished 11th in 3:45.83, four tenths out of the final. The time was actually faster than what he swam in the prelims last year in Kazan.

“Ryan is such a team leader,” van Landeghem said. “Right after his race he was there cheering us on in the relay—what a great role model, you know.”

The Canadians have momentum on their side, and that does not appear to be abating. Oleksiak is slated to swim the 100 fly final tonight with a real shot at a medal after setting the World Junior and Canadian records in the event with a 56.73 in Saturday’s prelims.

Oleksiak will be joined in the session by four teammates who picked up second swims in this afternoon’s prelims.

20-year-old Kylie Masse led the way in the 100 back, where she qualified third in 59.07, just one one-hundredth off her Canadian record set in April. Masse, too, looks like a legitimate podium candidate after already chopping three-quarters of a second off her best time this year.

Masse will have familiar company in the 100 back after Dominique Bouchard qualified 12th in 1:00.18, and Rachel Nicol made it back in the 100 breast, finishing 11th in 1:06.85 after getting off to a quick start.

Then there’s Brittany MacLean, who broke her own Canadian record in qualifying fifth for the final of the 400 free, touching in 4:03.43. This will be MacLean’s second Olympic final but a much different experience than four years ago, when she earned a surprising second swim after entering as a virtual unknown.

MacLean has grown into one of the leaders for this young group of Canadian women, and a businesslike approach has paid off so far in Rio.

“We’re kind of leading silently,” she said. “We don’t do many team bonding activities, but the support is there. We’re focused on each individual task.”

The relay medal meant a lot to each member of the Canadian team but especially to MacLean. She watched four years ago as sister Heather swam on the Canadian squad that finished 11th in the event, and she watched what her good friend and future Georgia teammate van Landeghem went through in not being a part of that group.

“Watching Chantal be an Olympic medalist after missing the team by one one-hundredth four years ago—I was by her side through that whole situation. She’s been my roommate every time we’ve travelled together. That one hits close to home. So proud of them,” MacLean said.

“So proud to do it on the first night, and it’s only leading to better things for the rest of the meet.”

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