The 54th annual Mel Zajac Jr International meet splashed into action with Canada and the USA highlighting the podium. Olympian Hilary Caldwell was among the victors on the women’s side, while Markus Thormeyer collected two victories on the men’s.
Hilary Caldwell led a team of junior swimmers to the podium in finals of the women’s 200 back. The Canadian Olympian posted a 2:10.98 for a smooth finish, followed by the USA’s Alex Sumner and her time of 2:13.04. Jade Hannah, a member of Canada’s junior team, who picked up third with a 2:14.31.
Event 2 Women 200 LC Meter Backstroke
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Caldwell, Hilary 26 ISC 2:11.45 2:10.98
2 Sumner, Alexandra 16 USA-JR 2:12.35 2:13.04
3 Hannah, Jade 15 CAN-JR 2:14.06 2:14.31
4 Dickinson, Callie 17 USA-JR 2:15.02 2:15.37
5 Hanus, Danielle 19 ISC 2:16.85 2:15.69
6 Newman, Mara 17 LOSC-OR 2:16.49 2:16.31
7 Gold, Aleksa 17 CAN-JR 2:17.90 2:17.73
8 Broad, Madison 16 CAN-JR 2:17.13 2:18.44
9 Wilm, Ingrid 18 UBCD/HPCVAN 2:18.65 2:18.67
10 Gowans, Molly 17 ISC 2:17.28 2:20.62
The men’s race was topped by Markus Thormeyer, a member of Canada’s senior national team. Thormeyer posted a 2:00.65 for the gold, followed by Croatia’s Anton Loncar and his time of 2:01.73. Team USA’s Samuel Iida grabbed third overall with a 2:03.09.
Event 3 Men 200 LC Meter Backstroke
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Thormeyer, Markus 19 CAN-SR 2:05.80 2:00.65
2 Loncar, Anton 21 CRO 2:03.21 2:01.73
3 Iida, Samuel 18 USA-JR 2:04.77 2:03.09
4 Zakala, Josh 19 ISC 2:06.89 2:05.79
5 Settle, Ben 18 THSC-OR 2:06.03 2:05.80
6 Binnema, Josiah 19 CAN-SR 2:06.27 2:06.17
7 Somerset, Sebastian 16 CAN-JR 2:07.28 2:07.21
8 Hayes, Nathan 15 KING-PN 2:09.86 2:07.75
9 Milosevic, Stefan 21 UBCD/HPCVAN 2:09.44 2:10.79
10 Smith, Jared 20 UN-CO-CO 2:09.85 2:12.63
LA Swim Club’s Rachel Nicol picked up the gold in the women’s 100 breast with a narrow victory over Team Manitoba’s Kelsey Wog. Nicol stopped the clock at a 1:08.53 over Wog’s 1:08.56 for first and second respectively. Kelowna Westside’s Kierra Smith finished a close third with a 1:08.70.
Event 4 Women 100 LC Meter Breaststroke
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Nicol, Rachel 24 LASC 1:08.69 1:08.53
2 Wog, Kelsey 18 TOBA/UMAN 1:10.29 1:08.56
3 Smith, Kierra 23 KWIC 1:09.00 1:08.70
4 Knelson, Faith 15 CAN-JR 1:09.78 1:09.30
5 Wiseman, Avery 15 TEAM AB/TRIT 1:11.38 1:11.16
6 Douglass, Katherine 15 USA-JR 1:11.99 1:11.70
7 Tarrant, Sophie 16 UVIC-PCS 1:13.29 1:12.52
8 Jew, Ellie 15 LOSC-OR 1:14.53 1:13.31
9 Herbert, Bailey 14 TEAM BC/LOSC 1:13.56 1:13.43
10 McCann, Pilar 14 TEAM AB/OSC 1:13.99 1:14.88
Canada teamed up for a 1-2 punch in the men’s 100 breast as Richard Funk and Jaren Lefranc grabbed the top two spots on the podium. Funk stopped the clock at a 1:00.70, while Lefranc was second with a 1:03.66. Caspar Corbeau, representing Tualatin Hills, was third overall with a 1:03.76.
Event 5 Men 100 LC Meter Breaststroke
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Funk, Richard 24 CAN-SR 1:01.61 1:00.70
2 Lefranc, Jaren 17 CAN-JR 1:04.20 1:03.66
3 Corbeau, Caspar 16 THSC-OR 1:04.23 1:03.76
4 Freund, Kaelan 18 CAN-SR 1:05.21 1:03.95
5 Dang, Ethan 15 KING-PN 1:04.64 1:04.16
6 Huang, Owen 16 CAN-JR 1:04.68 1:04.47
7 Hovis, Mitch 17 KING-PN 1:05.08 1:04.96
8 Bornstein, AJ 17 USA-JR 1:05.66 1:05.06
9 Blackmon, Ben 20 CHENA 1:05.74 1:06.59
10 Cook, Jonathan 17 WEST-PN 1:04.90 1:06.64
Island Swimming Club’s Mackenzie Padington delivered the top time in the women’s 200 free, posting the only sub-two minute swim at a 1:59.49. Team USA’s Taylor Ault picked up second overall with a time of 2:00.18, while University of Calgary Swimming’s Danica Ludlow took third with a 2:00.53.
Event 6 Women 200 LC Meter Freestyle
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Padington, Mackenzie 18 ISC 2:00.22 1:59.49
2 Ault, Taylor 18 USA-JR 2:02.54 2:00.18
3 Ludlow, Danica 20 UCSC 2:01.54 2:00.53
4 Darcel, Sarah 18 ISC 2:04.29 2:02.83
5 Leibel, Kyla 15 CAN-JR 2:04.47 2:03.31
6 Luther, Dakota 17 USA-JR 2:03.15 2:03.87
7 Tankersley, Morgan 17 USA-JR 2:04.98 2:04.67
8 Donohoe, Madelyn 15 USA-JR 2:04.96 2:05.22
9 Groysman, Yulia 16 KING-PN 2:05.28 2:05.50
10 Wilson, Caitlyn 18 THSC-OR 2:05.47 2:06.01
Thormeyer recovered from a short turn-around after the 200 back to claim his second gold of the day. Thormeyer led a Canadian sweep of the podium wit ha top showing of 1:50.18. Samuel Belanger took second with a 1:51.95, followed by Yuri Kisil’s 1:53.15.
Event 7 Men 200 LC Meter Freestyle
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Thormeyer, Markus 19 CAN-SR 1:53.50 1:50.18
2 B�langer, Samuel 20 CAN-JR 1:52.96 1:51.95
3 Kisil, Yuri 21 CAN-SR 1:55.78 1:53.15
4 Zakala, Josh 19 ISC 1:55.40 1:53.90
5 Olafson, Carson 20 CAN-SR 1:55.88 1:54.45
6 Gilbert, Colin 18 CAN-SR 1:54.42 1:54.65
7 Thornbrue, Luke 16 HEAT-OR 1:55.20 1:54.94
8 Martinez, Trent 16 THSC-OR 1:55.00 1:55.04
9 Pratt, Alexander 16 CAN-JR 1:55.93 1:56.46
10 Torres, Andrew 22 UN-CO-CO 1:55.92 1:57.89
Island Swimming topped the podium of the women’s 400 IM with top showings by Sarah Darcel and Padington. The two swam ahead of the competition to claim gold and silver with times of 4:43.32 and 4:45.62 respectively. Bailey Andison, swimming unattached, was third with a 4:53.55.
Event 8 Women 400 LC Meter IM
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Darcel, Sarah 18 ISC 4:51.50 4:43.32
2 Padington, Mackenzie 18 ISC 4:47.59 4:45.62
3 Andison, Bailey 19 UN-CO-CO 4:56.57 4:53.55
4 Kwan, Victoria 16 CAN-JR 4:58.75 4:57.85
5 Myers, Maddie 20 UN-CO-CO 4:59.99 4:58.01
6 Dickinson, Callie 17 USA-JR 4:58.05 4:58.62
7 Herbert, Bailey 14 TEAM BC/LOSC 5:01.11 4:59.59
8 Wilson, Caitlyn 18 THSC-OR 4:58.94 5:00.11
9 Sumner, Alexandra 16 USA-JR 4:57.28 5:01.47
10 Smith, Kierra 23 KWIC 4:56.95 5:03.89
Etobicoke’s Tristan Cote grabbed a narrow victory over Team USA’s Kieran Smith in finals of the men’s 400 IM. Cote out-touched Smith 4:20.34 to 4:20.37. Iida added added a second bronze to his name with a third place finish of 4:30.07.
Event 9 Men 400 LC Meter IM
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Name Age Team Prelims Finals
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=== A - Final ===
1 Cote, Tristan 21 ESWIM 4:29.34 4:20.34
2 Smith, Kieran 17 USA-JR 4:23.94 4:20.37
3 Iida, Samuel 18 USA-JR 4:30.21 4:30.07
4 Eriks, Colin 21 UBCD 4:36.22 4:33.13
5 Young, Brodie 16 HYACK 4:34.98 4:34.36
6 Dergousoff, James 20 CHENA 4:37.94 4:34.99
7 Fan, Hau-Li 19 UBCD 4:32.06 4:35.68
8 Hernandez, Rolando 19 HYACK 4:38.71 4:37.96
9 Heasley, Ethan 15 HEAT-OR 4:38.05 4:38.66
10 Keil, Kevin 15 MAC-OR 4:38.18 4:41.01
Rad
Congratulations
Youssef Yasser/Shahd Yasser/Marwa Elshenawy