{"id":471090,"date":"2021-04-28T16:16:41","date_gmt":"2021-04-28T23:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=471090"},"modified":"2021-06-19T09:45:23","modified_gmt":"2021-06-19T16:45:23","slug":"swimming-canada-postpones-trials-to-june-will-look-at-new-venue-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-canada-postpones-trials-to-june-will-look-at-new-venue-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming Canada Postpones Trials to June, Will Look at New Venue Options"},"content":{"rendered":"

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced another postponement of the Canada Olympic and Paralympic Trials to June 19-23, Swimming Canada announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Trials will still be held at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Center, but the governing body is also exploring options to host Trials at another North American location should COVID-19 conditions remain dangerous in Ontario. The dates would remain the same, and Swimming Canada is pledging to make any changes by the end of May.<\/p>\n

Canadian Olympics and Paralympic Trials were originally scheduled for April, then postponed to May 24-28<\/a>. Now, a surge in Canadian COVID-19 cases and a sluggish vaccine rollout is forcing a further delay. The decision was reached in an emergency board meeting Monday and announced to athletes Wednesday on a conference call. Swimming Canada last week expressed optimism that it wouldn’t have to change Trials<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Paralympic Trials are cancelled, and Swimming Canada will \u201ccreate alternative competitive opportunities.\u201d The dates of Canadian Olympic Trials conflict with a global event in Berlin.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn light of the state of emergency and stay-at-home order in Ontario, as well as travel restrictions in and out of other provinces, Swimming Canada\u2019s board of directors, in consultation with management, has determined that the May dates for Trials are no longer viable,\u201d Swimming Canada President Cheryl Gibson<\/strong> said in a press release<\/a>. \u201cWe have therefore asked management to explore plans to hold the Trials in June.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand the great strain governments, provinces, and municipalities have been under in Canada and this is in no way a judgement of their hard work and having to constantly change almost on a daily basis during the pandemic,\u201d CEO Ahmed El-Awadi<\/strong> said. \u201cOur goal is to provide an opportunity for the athletes to race prior to the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swimming Canada has already provisionally named six Olympians to their delegation for the Tokyo Olympics:<\/p>\n