Five new swimmers met the qualification criteria to be selected for the 2016 Canadian Olympic team Wednesday night, as they all punched in their tickets for Rio.
For all five swimmers, these games will be their first Olympics, and for two of them it will be their first time representing Canada in major senior international competition.
Kylie Masse started things off in the 100m backstroke as she attacked the race right from the get-go in order to push way ahead of the field and clock in the second fastest time this season with a 59.06. That time qualified her for Rio, and so did Dominique Bouchard‘s 59.96 which was good for silver.
Both under the FINA ‘A’ qualifying times, the two should be a lock to represent Canada this summer.
After Masse and Bouchard made the team, Javier Acevedo stepped up against defending national champion Russell Wood in order to secure his spot on the Olympic team. Coming within a fingernail of the national record, Acevedo put forth the 13th fastest time this season en route to gold.
The women’s 400m IM followed Acevedo’s glory as both Emily Overholt and Sydney Pickrem stepped up to the blocks to race. Pickrem just edged out Overholt for the win 4:38.34 to 4:38.50 as they both went under the FINA ‘A’ standard.
Amazingly enough, the mean age of the five qualifiers was 19.6-years-old. Dominique Bouchard is the oldest of the field at just 24, Masse is 20, and Acevedo, Overholt, and Pickrem are all 18.
Young talent has highlighted these Olympic trials.
That might be a Jr WR for Acevedo
Congratulations to all 5 of the new members for team Canada.