An anticipatory hush fell over the jammed Saanich Commonwealth Place pool Friday night as the women lined up for the 100-metre freestyle final. The new queen of swimming was in the starting blocks.
Olympic-champion Penny Oleksiak did not disappoint as she won the national trials final in 53.84 to qualify for the 2017 FINA world aquatics championships this summer in Budapest.
As she did in Rio, when she tied Simone Manuel of the U.S. for Olympic gold, Oleksiak fell behind before rallying. The Toronto teen was only fourth at the halfway point Friday before churning to victory.
鈥淭hat wasn鈥檛 really my strategy,鈥� said Oleksiak, dismissing any notion that it is now some sort of patented move.
鈥淚 went out too slow. I鈥檝e got to learn to go out faster. I鈥檓 a really young swimmer and I'm still learning how to race.鈥�
That鈥檚 a truly frightening thought for the rest of the world, considering the 16-year-old is already the Olympic co-champion.
Sandrine Mainville of Montreal was second in 53.95 and also qualified for the world championships in the individual 100-metre freestyle. The top-two in each event advance to the worlds, as long as they clock under the FINA qualifying standard.
Michelle Toro of North York, Ont., was third in 54.14 and and Chantal Vanlandeghem of Toronto fourth in 54:16 and both will be added to the Canadian team for the 4x100 freestyle relay.
Oleksiak, Mainville and Vanlandeghem were three-quarters of the bronze-medallist Canadian team at the Rio Olympics.
鈥淚t was a pretty good night,鈥� said Oleksiak, of having a Canadian relay team qualify for the worlds.
There was heartbreak, however, for Claremont Grade 12 student Sarah Darcel. She led for much of the way and was well under the world championship qualifying standard of 4:43.06 in the women鈥檚 400-metre IM but faded to third, as fellow Island Club swimmer Sydney Pickrem and Marie-Sophie Harvey from Montreal took the first two spots to qualify for the worlds.
The dejected Darcel, however, has clearly stamped herself as a performer to watch in the quadrennial leading to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Darcel was consoled afterward by friend Oleksiak, who reminded the Island Club performer that she posted her best time.
鈥淪arah may be sad now. But something is going to happen soon for her,鈥� said Oleksiak.
Pickrem is a dual citizen born in Florida who swims in the NCAA for Texas A&M. She joins the Island Swimming group at meets and so is swimming with the host club this week at the trials.
鈥淢y goggles got full of water and fogged up . . . I just had to trust myself out there,鈥� said Pickrem.
鈥淚t was so stressful. I kept thinking: 鈥楾his is it. You鈥檝e got to make it . . . you鈥檝e got to make it [team for worlds].鈥� It鈥檚 been a long time coming.鈥�
It was indeed a night of high emotions as the likes of Rachel Nicol and Richard Funk in the women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 100-metre backstrokes, Yuri Kisil in the men鈥檚 100 freestyle and Tristan Cote in the men鈥檚 400 IM stamped their tickets to Budapest.
鈥淲hoo Hooo,鈥� exclaimed an excited Kisil, into the public-address microphone, to begin his on-deck post-race interview.
That said it all. He鈥檚 going to Budapest.
The national trials run through Sunday. Morning qualifying is at 10 a.m. and the evening finals at 6 p.m.
SPLASHES: Two-time Olympic medallist Ryan Cochrane of Victoria received a standing ovation before Friday鈥檚 finals when he was enshrined into Swimming sa国际传媒鈥檚 Ring of Fame. 鈥淚鈥檓 very humbled,鈥� said Cochrane. 鈥淚t鈥檚 surreal being here and not being in the water. Victoria was absolutely the best place to be an athlete . . . Kylie Masse of Windsor won the women鈥檚 100-metre backstroke Thursday in the third-fastest time in history, not fourth-fastest as reported in Friday鈥檚 edition.
