Mel Zajac International: Alexanne Lepage Sweeps Breast Events
Alexanne Lepage completed a sweep of the female breaststroke events on Sunday night at the Mel Zajac International Swim Meet.
Lepage won four races overall in the three-day meet at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Sunday’s win came in the 50 breaststroke, Lepage going 31.61 to win the event by nearly eight tenths of a second. Lepage won the 100 breast and 200 breast in addition to the 200 individual medley at the meet, which serves as a tune-up for Worlds trials in June. She also swam on the University of Calgary Swim Club’s winning 400 medley relay to end the meet.
Both 100 freestyle events on the final day showcased deep fields. Heather White, a Philippine junior national teamer and Duke signee from Washington state, set a best time in prelims at 56.42 then won the final in 56.47. She was followed by Canadian Olympians Emma O’Croinin (second in 56.62) and Kylie Masse (third in 56.75). Kelly Choi also broke 57 seconds in 56.96.
Texas commit Laon Kim pushed within four tenths of his best time by controlling the men’s 100 free final in 49.77. That edged Finlay Knox, who was second in 50.03. Yuri Kisil placed third in 50.24.
Cole Pratt and Blake Tierney made the final of the 100 free after a duel in the 100 backstroke. Tierney won in 54.60, followed by Pratt in 55.19. Aiden Norman was third in 55.16, with Knox fourth in that one.
Without Masse, Bridget Burton won the women’s 100 back in 1:02.42, a half-second ahead of Katie Schroeder. Justin Migneault (28.60) edged Nicholas Duncan in the men’s 50 breast. Clare Watson won her second butterfly event of the meet by going 2:14.06 in the 200. Aidan Hammer claimed the men’s 200 fly in 2:02.37, a second and a half ahead of Zachary McLeod.
Naomi Mynott won the women’s 800 freestyle with a time of 8:55.04, she and Abigail McLeod the only contestants to break nine minutes. Uzbek international Ilia Sibirtsev won his third distance event of the week by going 15:23.99 in the men’s 1,500.