2019 CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS
- April 3-7, 2019
- Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto, ON
- LCM (50m)
- Prelims/Finals: 9:30 am / 6:00 pm ET
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Stream (Rectectv)
- Live Stream (CBC Sports)
- Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet
**This post has been updated now that Kierra Smith‘s DQ appeal was unsuccessful.**
The women’s 200 breast at the Canadian Trials tonight boasted some crazy speed. The top 3 times in the world this year, to be specific. However, the first to get her hands on the wall, Kierra Smith, was disqualified. Smith swam a 2:21.75, which would be a lifetime best for her (current best is 2:22.23). The decision was under appeal, via a jury, and we now have received confirmation the DQ was upheld.
The disqualification was for Smith’s elbows exiting the water. Back in 2015, Smith was also DQ’d at Canadian Trials in prelims of the 100 breast for her elbows exiting the water. Her coach also appealed that DQ then, and the ruling was ultimately overturned, allowing Smith’s time to be reinstated.
A 2:21.75 would have earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Championships, behind only Russia’s Yulia Efimova.
Before tonight, the leading time in the world this year was 2:22.99 by Annie Lazor. Sydney Pickrem was 2nd into the finish, touching in 2:22.63. With Smith’s DQ now official, Pickrem is the event champion and now world-leader in the 200 breast. Kelsey Wog was 3rd into the wall, clocking a 2:22.82. Her time is 2nd both in the event and world rankings. With Smith’s DQ standing, she is now 5th in the world this year with her time of 2:24.41 from the Des Moines Pro Swim Series.
Here is the current world top 10 rankings as it stands right now (with Kierra Smith‘s DQ now official):
| Rank | Swimmer | Country | Time |
| 1 | Sydney Pickrem | Canada | 2:22.63 |
| 2 | Kelsey Wog | Canada | 2:22.82 |
| 3 | Annie Lazor | USA | 2:22.99 |
| 4 | Ye Shiwen | China | 2:23.46 |
| 5 | Kierra Smith | Canada | 2:24.41 |
| 6 | Jingyao Yu | China | 2:24.61 |
| 7 | Reona Aoki | Japan | 2:24.63 |
| 8 | Fanny Lecluyse | Belgium | 2:24.73 |
| 9 | Jessica Vall | Spain | 2:24.94 |
| 10 | Yun He | China | 2:25.18 |
Every time there is a photo of her my first thought is, ‘how is that legal?’
Is this a Coaching issue or swimmer or Both? She is getting coaching in a very small group and the obvious question Why does this happen? I am not questioning how “tough” she is just the coaching
This is a Tara Kirk repeat. Same issue with the elbows. Inconsistent with being called on it.
Kirk really looked like she was doing fly sometimes. I find it hard to believe she wasn’t DQd all the time.
two dqs on the men’s side, officials love feeling important in canada
Officials love doing their job which is to help ensure a fair and equal field for ALL athletes.
Breaststroke has evolved into a stroke very different from what I swam back in the day. We had it easy – no dolphin kicks at all. No hands or feet breaking the surface. Your head could never fully submerge (except on starts and turns). Very few gray areas (although we all pushed some limits as always). It was slower, and it wasn’t quite as…aesthetic? But we still had born breastrokers, learned breastrokers, and non-breaststrokers, same as now. There’s days I give thanks for swimming in the dark ages. Not sure I’m smart enough, flexible enough, or coordinated enough for all of the very subtle tweaks elite swimmers must master today. I couldn’t have gotten my elbows out of the water… Read more »
Just fix her stroke so that her elbows are a little lower. Why doesn’t her coach do something about this?
Because 90% of the time she gets away with it, and lower elbows = less water clearance —> slower swimming.
Find me more than 10 swimmers in the world that would compete with her. How can you be okay with these rules? I’m all for following the rules but look at the NFL, technicalities like this are absurd. We need better rule MAKERS, not better rule FOLLOWERS.
If we wanted to watch cheaters, we’d follow the Chinese nationals….
What a great 200 butterfly
not a great 200fly time though 🙂