Canadian records fall on final night of Canadian Swimming Trials
That’s a wrap on the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials, and wow, what a meet it has been.
Thursday’s final night of racing saw an additional two Canadian records fall.
Paris 2024 double-medallist Ilya Kharun broke his own national record in the men’s 50m butterfly. The 20-year-old swam to a time of 22.68, taking 0.41 seconds off of his own mark set earlier this year. Kharun’s time is the fastest in the world this year, and eighth fastest of all time.
The 50m butterfly is set to join the Olympic programme for the first time at Los Angeles 2028.
READ: Double Olympic medallist Ilya Kharun is learning more and swimming faster
Thursday night also saw the Canadian record fall in the men’s 200m freestyle.
Antoine Sauvé pulled off the surprise performance of the night, swimming to a new Canadian record time of 1:46.39—and doing it from the B, rather than the A final.
Sauvé’s time takes down Brent Hayden’s former Canadian record of 1:46.40, established at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Hayden was quick to congratulate Sauvé over social media: “Huge congratulations! Happy to see that record finally go.”
“I didn’t like not being in the final, but I just knew I was capable,” Sauvé said post-race.
The six-day trials event brought over 700 swimmers to Saanich Commonwealth Place in Victoria to compete for selection at upcoming major international meets.
The week of racing was headlined by teenage phenom Summer McIntosh’s three world records, set over the course of five days. McIntosh lowered the world marks in the 400m IM (4:23.65), 200m IM (2:05.70), and 400m freestyle (3:54.18). McIntosh took home four medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Performances at the Canadian Trials bode well for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships, where Canada will take on the rest of the world in Singapore from July 26 – August 3.
