Storylines to Watch on the Inaugural Canadian Swimming Open

2024 Canadian Swimming Open

The Speedo Canadian Swimming Open will make its debut this week, working from Wednesday by means of Saturday on the Toronto Pan Am Sports activities Centre. 

The lengthy course meet is many Canadian athletes’ final likelihood to enhance their occasions and qualify for the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Swimming Trials which might be arising in mid-Might. 

With high-stakes competitors kicking off tomorrow morning, under are among the storylines to look out for on the meet. 

Olympic Gold Medalist Maggie MacNeil Seeking to Superb-Tune Race Plans Earlier than Paris

Maggie MacNeil took house the gold medal within the 100 fly on the 2021 Olympics and can look to defend her title once more this summer time, utilizing the Speedo Canadian Swimming Open as an opportunity to see the place she stands a month out of trials. 

MacNeil is listed as the highest seed within the 50 free and 100 fly, and in addition holds the #3 seed within the 100 free and the #23 seed within the 100 again. 

Until she has a change of coronary heart, the Paris Video games shall be her final Olympic endeavor; MacNeil just lately introduced plans to retire after the competitors. Initially planning to retire after Tokyo, MacNeil prolonged her profession after feeling that she had missed out on sure alternatives because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

MacNeil has a bunch of swimming achievements underneath her belt already. Along with her Olympic gold, she took house a silver and a bronze medal from Tokyo, has damaged two world data and has amassed numerous victories and medals all through her profession from SC World Championships, LC World Championships, the Commonwealth Video games, and the Pan Am Video games.

MacNeil has shared hopes of attending regulation college after she finishes her swimming profession.  

Summer season McIntosh Takes on Various Occasion Line Up

All eyes shall be on 17-year-old Summer season McIntosh main as much as the Olympics in July after she overthrew Katie Ledecky within the 800 free on the Southern Zone Senior Championships, ending Ledecky’s 13-year undefeated streak within the occasion. 

Though Ledecky nonetheless holds the world document, McIntosh’s efficiency made her the second-fastest girl within the occasion and solidified her as a reputation to observe within the swimming world. McIntosh has primarily targeted on center distance occasions, however her victory over Ledecky raised questions as as to if she would tackle the 800 free on the Olympics this summer time. 

McIntosh just isn’t entered within the 800 free at this meet; she is scheduled to compete in additional stroke and center distance occasions. McIntosh didn’t compete on the World Championships in Doha, so this meet provides an opportunity to preview sure occasions earlier than solidifying a lineup heading into Canada’s Olympic Trials.

She’s swimming a whole lot of occasions that she is unlikely to swim this summer time, plus the 200 IM. We will learn into this two methods: both she’s attempting to get quick occasions in occasions she gained’t swim this summer time (tipping her plan on the 200 IM), or she’s swimming races to assist Canada work out relay choices. Both means, it’s thrilling to see one of many world’s high younger skills swimming races we don’t normally see from her at large meets.

McIntosh is the highest seed within the 200 free and 200 IM, #2 seed within the 100 again, 100 free, 100 fly and 50 free and #7 seed within the 100 breast.

Nicholas Bennett Gears Up for Olympic Repeat

20-year-old Nicholas Bennett skilled a significant worldwide breakthrough in 2023, successful his first world titles on the Para Swimming World Championships in Manchester. He gained the S14 200 free and the 200 IM earlier than taking house a silver medal within the 100 breast. Bennett shall be repeating these occasions on the Open, along with competing within the 50 breast. 

Born with autism, Bennett turned considered one of Canada’s high Paralympic swimmers when he was simply 15 years previous; he gained three gold medals and a silver medal on the 2019 Parapan American Video games and made it to the finals in three occasions on the Paralympic Video games in Tokyo. He positioned fifth within the 100 breast, sixth within the 200 free and seventh within the 200 IM. 

Aiming for the rostrum this yr, how Bennett performs in Toronto will supply a preview of what to anticipate on the subsequent Paralympic Trials and Paralympic Video games. He’s the #19 seed within the 50 breast, #21 seed within the 200 IM and #28 seed within the 100 breast. Bennett can even race within the S14 200 free, by which he’s the one entry. 

Penny Oleksiak Appears to Return to Racing Type

Two-time Olympian Penny Oleksiak is making a return to aggressive swimming after taking a while away from the game. The Open will mark her second main swim meet after practically a yr of not competing whereas battling knee and ankle accidents; she raced on the Professional Swim Collection in Westmont. 

Oleksiak additionally just lately made a coaching change, becoming a member of the Mission Viejo Nadadores in southern California with Jeff Julian’s professional group. The transfer resulted in a reunion with former coaching associate and Canadian teammate Kayla Sanchez.  

Canada’s most embellished Olympian of all time, Oleksiak made her Olympic debut when she was simply 16 years previous. She gained 4 medals in Rio, together with a gold medal within the 100 free. She gained three extra medals in Tokyo, securing a silver medal as a part of the 400 free relay and two bronze medals within the 200 free and 400 medley relay. 

Oleksiak is the #4 seed within the 100 free, #11 seed within the 200 free and #13 seed within the 50 free. 

Tristan Jankovics Poised for Breakthrough Heading into Trials

Ohio State College sophomore Tristan Jankovics will tackle a various lineup on the Open as he makes ultimate preparations heading into Canadian Olympic Trials. 

Jankovics certified for trials within the 200 again and 400 IM in 2020 on the age of 15 however wound up not competing after the meet acquired postponed as a consequence of Covid. Since then, he has improved his occasions throughout the board and is now internationally ranked in a number of occasions. 

Jankovics was the third-fastest Canadian within the 400 IM and second-fastest within the 200 IM this yr, making his possibilities at qualifying for the Olympic staff this summer time extremely promising. He has talked in interviews about having his sights set on making his Olympic debut this yr, making it no shock that he shall be making ready for a notable breakthrough along with his occasion lineup on the Canadian Swimming Open. 

Jankovics is the highest seed within the 400 IM and 200 again, #2 seed within the 200 IM, #3 seed within the 200 free, #5 seed within the 100 again, # 13 seed within the 200 breast and #33 seed within the 400 free.