Josh Liendo, Maggie MacNeil Set Two Meet Records Each at Mel Zajac International

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Josh Liendo, Maggie MacNeil Set Two Meet Records Each at Mel Zajac International

Canadian Olympic stars Josh Liendo and Maggie MacNeil set a pair of meet records each at the 58th annual Mel Zajac International this weekend.

MacNeil won three events, despite missing the first day of the meet at UBC Aquatic Centre while traveling to Vancouver. Liendo won five events overall.

Liendo won the men’s 200 freestyle and 50 butterfly on the opening day of the meet Friday. He clocked in at 1:50.53 to win the former, three tenths ahead of Jeremy Bagshaw. His time of 23.99 in the 50 fly was three tenths shy of the meet record, set in 2018 by Caeleb Dressel. He likewise trailed a Dressel mark in the 50 free, winning in 22.33 but slightly slower than the 22.15 Dressel had used in 2018.

Liendo blistered the field in the 100 fly, going 51.59 in prelims for a meet record. It downed the time of 52.04 that Luca Urlando had set at the 2019 meet. Liendo was slightly slower in finals at 51.97, though still nearly three seconds quicker than runner-up Wyatt Carlton.

The 100 free on Sunday saw Liendo go 49.02 to win the final. That erases the super-suited mark set by Brent Hayden in 2009 at 49.16.

MacNeil was dominant as usual. She went 57.70 in the 100 fly, topping Miriam Guevara by an even two seconds. The swim trounced the meet record set in 2010 by Dana Vollmer at 58.59. MacNeil’s 50 backstroke time of 28.23 erased the meet mark set in 2022 by Erika Pelaez (28.34).

MacNeil also won the 50 free with a time of 25.30. She just outtouched Mexican national teamer Sofia Revilak, who went 25.58.

Collyn Gagne also took down a meet record, the Canadian wining the men’s 400 individual medley in 4:18.41. That erases one of the oldest records on the books, the time of 4:20.27 set by Keith Beavers in 2008. Gagne also won the 200 IM.

Olympian Tessa Cieplucha, one of the handful of veterans among a largely youthful field, won three events. She prevailed in the 400 IM, 200 IM and 200 breast. Guevara won the 50 fly. Piper Enge won the women’s 50 and 100 breast and was third in the 200.

Bagshaw was also second (to Alexander Axon) in the men’s 400 free. Aidan Hammer won the 800 and 1,500 free, with Axon second both times.

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