Alright guys, I'm heading out to the east coast (Montreal) in the morning and will be attending Canadian Olympic trails tomorrow through Sunday (the meet actually starts tomorrow, but Julia isn't swimming until Wednesday, so I'm flying out a day later).

The Aggies will have 8 swimmers competing at the meet (4 current, 3 former, and 1 recruit):

• Ashley McGregor - Aggie recruit
• Julia Wilkinson - 2008 Olympian, 1st Aggie Swimming National Champion, horrible taste in men
• Kendra Chernoff - swam for the Ags for two years before moving back to Canada
• Kristina Kontrimas - redshirt sophomore; vying for a spot on the Lithuanian Olympic Team, needs a "B-cut" in any of her events to do so
• Kyle Troskot - sophomore; member of 2011 Big XII Champion 400 Free Relay Team
• Melanie Dodds - holds the 8th fastest 400IM time in school history
• Paige Miller - sophomore; 2011 Big XII Champion in the 100 Backstroke
• Tess Simpson - junior; holds the 6th fastest 100 Backstroke time in school history

The top 8 swimmers from prelims will advance to finals (no semis). In order to qualify for the Olympics, a swimmer must:

• Win their respective event and go under the FINA "A-cut" time, or
• Win their respective event, go under the FINA "B-cut" and be approved to compete by FINA (basically they go onto a "waiting list," much like NCAAs, or
• Finish 2nd in their respective event, and go under the "A-cut."
• Relays - Canada will only be taking the top 4 (maybe 5, I'll check) performers in the 100 & 200 Freestyle events to compete in the 400 & 800 Freestyle Relays at the Olympics.

Below, I have posted the days and events that the Ags will be participating in. The numbers in parenthesis are their rankings in the event given.

Day 1 - March 27
Women's 400 Free
A-cut = 4:09.35
B-cut = 4:18.07

• Kristina Kontrimas (63rd)

Women's 100 Fly
A-cut = 58.70
B-cut = 1:00.75

• Kendra Chernoff (8th)
• Paige Miller (11th)
• Tess Simpson (47th)

Day 2 - March 28
Women's 100 Back
A-cut = 1:00.82
B-cut = 1:02.95

• Julia Wilkinson (2nd)
• Tess Simpson (7th)
• Paige Miller (14th)

Women's 400 IM
A-cut = 4:41.75
B-cut = 4:51.75

• Melanie Dodds (15th)

Day 3 - March 29
Women's 200 Free
A-cut = 1:58.33
B-cut = 2:02.47

• Julia Wilkinson (3rd)
• Kristina Kontrimas (46th)

Women's 100 Breast
A-cut = 1:08.49
B-cut = 1:10.89

• Ashley McGregor (8th)

Day 4 - March 30
Women's 200 Fly
A-cut = 2:08.95
B-cut = 2:13.46

• Kendra Chernoff (9th)

Men's 100 Free
A-cut = 48.82
B-cut = 50.53

• Kyle Troskot (15th)

Women's 200 IM
A-cut = 2:13.36
B-cut = 2:18.03

• Julia Wilkinson (2nd)
• Melanie Dodds (6th)
• Ashley McGregor (18th)
• Paige Miller (53rd)

Day 5 - March 31
Men's 100 Fly
A-cut = 52.32
B-cut = 54.19

• Kyle Troskot (30th)

Women's 100 Free
A-cut = 54.57
B-cut = 56.48

• Julia Wilkinson (2nd)
• Kristina Kontrimas (38th)
• Kendra Chernoff (100th)
• Tess Simpson (105th)

Women's 200 Breast
A-cut = 2:26.89
B-cut = 2:32.03

• Ashley McGregor (6th)
• Melanie Dodds (26th)

Day 6 - April 1
Women's 50 Free
A-cut = 25.27
B-cut = 26.15

• Kristina Kontrimas (87th)
• Kendra Chernoff (104th)

Men's 50 Free
A-cut = 22.11
B-cut = 22.88

• Kyle Troskot (4th)

Women's 200 Back
A-cut = 2:10.84
B-cut = 2:15.42

• Julia Wilkinson (9th)
• Tess Simpson (16th)
• Paige Miller (61st)

[This message has been edited by Shane Minks (edited 3/27/2012 12:03a).]

Good luck ladies!
Will the meet have a webcast?

Why does Canada have this meet so close to the NCAA meets? It seems like many of their best swimmers are attempting to hold a taper from one or two weeks ago. Have they done this in prior Olympic years? BTHO Olympic trials ladies.

Israel Duran Mata is up there too. Fly and 2im.

Welp.. First update of the day: it's 5:57 am, and I'm sitting at my gate. Waaaay too early for this night owl.

Prelims start in an hour, but I'll be in the air for most of them.. I will give you an update as soon as possible, 4 Ags in th water today!!

quote:

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Israel Duran Mata is up there too. Fly and 2im.

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Cool. Will add him to the list when I get to the hotel!

quote:

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Is there a webcast?

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Yes. You can watch prelims & finals here: http://swimcanweb.tv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=2&lang=en

Prelims start at 9am (CST) & finals will begin at 6pm (CST).

quote:

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Why does Canada have this meet so close to the NCAA meets? It seems like many of their best swimmers are attempting to hold a taper from one or two weeks ago. Have they done this in prior Olympic years? BTHO Olympic trials ladies.

---

To be honest: Swim Canada is split on their opinion of the NCAA. Some like swimmers coming to the states to train, while traditionalists seem to favor them staying on home soil. Most of the decision makers when it comes to scheduling would fall into that "traditionalist" category. Basically, they don't care. Also, the extra space between Trials & the Olympics gives athletes a chance to work back up, and re-taper.

Another point to keep in mind is that for the most part, the "top" swimmers in Canada DO train in Canada.. There are only a few legitimate Olympic hopefuls training in the states that come to my mind.. So while it is inconvenient for some, it doesn't not affect the majority.

'horrible taste in men'...hahahaha

Great info, Shane.

Heard there will be lots of video interviews going up on www.swimswam.ca as well. I'd assume Julia will be on there at some point, and maybe some of the others.

The Canadians are making an even bigger shift stateside with this year's recruiting class. Quite a few of the future Olympians are coming south. McGregor, van Landeghem.

Scott Dickons just went a 1:00.3 in the 100 breast. Shooting to become first Canadian under a minute - about time!

Also, anyone who was top 5 at worlds can count that time towards qualifying, so Hayden, McCabe, Cochrane...

4 go on relays, 5th goes if they hit a certain time. No medley alternates. Aggregate relay times also have to hit a certain mark - men's 800 probably won't get there, 400 will be very close. Women should have no problem getting relays under the mark (equivalent to 8th at last year's World's prelims +1.8 seconds)

This has a better breakdown than I just gave of all the times that need to be hit, etc. to make the team on the relays:

http://swimswam.com/2012/03/the-great-hype-of-the-canadian-olympic-swim-trials/

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/27/2012 3:23p).]

Chernoff through in 100 fly. Miller just misses. Provincial Record for Chernoff (not her best time - but she used to represent a team in Saskatchawan).

Curious if the 100 fly continues to be a good second stroke for Miller, or if she'd be better off working on her freestyle, or IM, instead?

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/27/2012 4:25p).]

P. Miller can swim just about anything 100 meters. Her IM has really improved as she made the B finals with Pavlin, Dittmer and Caroline. Sarah Henry would have made it 5 in the consolation final at NCAA's.

Think Henry would've swum 200 IM? Not 400/500/mile?

5 Canadians earn bids (kinda) on day 1, no Aggies. Chernoff just a hair slower in finals, holds on to 4th. 200 Fly should be a great race.

Julia gets started tomorrow in 100 back.

Hey guys, sorry about the late update.. Went straight to dinner with Julia and the in-laws-to-be after landing in Montreal. No Aggies qualified for the Olympics tonight, but tomorrow there will be four hitting the pool with their sights set on London. Day 1 results and Day 2 competitors are listed below (numberss in parenthesis are seeds going into the event).

Day 1 Results
400m Freestyle
A-cut = 4:09.35
B-cut = 4:18.07

• 58th - Kristina Kontrimas - 4:29.89

100m Butterfly
A-cut = 58.70
B-cut = 1:00.75

• 4th - Kendra Chernoff - 59.87
• 11th - Paige Miller - 1:01.49
• 28th - Tess Simpson - 1:02.91

Day 2 Schedule
100m Backstroke
A-cut = 1:00.82
B-cut = 1:02.95

• Julia Wilkinson (2nd)
• Tess Simpson (7th)
• Paige Miller (14th)

400 IM
A-cat = 4:41.75
B-cut = 4:51.75

• Melanie Dodds (15th)

blastoff = that swimswam article you refer to is bang on. there won't be too many surprises at the Canadian trials. the depth is obviously not there.

Israel Duran Mata 2:03.10 for 11th in the 200 fly. Teammate Ramiro Juarez went a 2:00.49 - .06 better than Duran Mata's best in the Olympic qualifying period. That means that as of right now, Iz is out of London.

100 Backstroke Prelims
A-cut = 1:00.82
B-cut = 1:02.95

• 1st - Julia Wilkinson - 1:00.48
• 12th - Paige Miller - 1:03.08
• 13th - Tess Simpson - 1:03.09

Full results here: http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2012/Montreal/C74A_Results%20(Summary%20-%20Individual)_12_Women_100_Back.pdf

Julia is in the A-Final tonight, while Paige & Tess will swim in the B-final.

Melanie Dodds is warming up for the 400IM, she is going into prelims seeded 14th.

[This message has been edited by Shane Minks (edited 3/28/2012 10:40a).]

Hopefully the Canadian women will be able to get two into that 100 back. Sinead Russell was waaayyy off her best in prelims.

I'd be shocked if they didn't qualify two in the 100 Back..

Melanie into the A-Final 7th in 4:51.23. She oughta be MUCH faster than that in finals....but so should everyone else.

400 IM Prelims
A-cat = 4:41.75
B-cut = 4:51.75

• 7th - Melanie Dodds - 4:51.23

Full results here: http://omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2012/Montreal/C74A_Results%20(Summary%20-%20Individual)_14_Women_400_Medley.pdf

Melanie will compete in the A-final tonight! Gonna be tough to catch the top 2-3 girls, but anything can happen!!

Here's the link to the live webcast of finals: http://swimcanweb.tv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2&Itemid=2&lang=en

Finals start at 6pm CST.

She did it!!! Julia won the 100 back in a time of 59.85!! Headed back to the Olympics!! I can't stop shaking!!!

Awesome!

Awesome job Julia & congrats Shane, biggest supporter of an amazing person! Had to post the great news on the baseball site since it is baseball related!

3rd fastest time in the world this year!!!!

Melanie Dodds finishes 7th in the 400IM!

Not to be a dick, but only 5th fastest time in the world.

Second fastest Canadian ever though! Great swim.

Haha, I just reported what they announced at the meet.. Either way, seeds don't matter once you're there...just who gets their hand on the wall first!!

Day 3 - March 29

Women's 200 Free
A-cut = 1:58.33
B-cut = 2:02.47

• Julia Wilkinson (3rd) - scratch
• Kristina Kontrimas (46th)

** - Julia has scratched the 200 Free. She was entered in the event as more of a "back-up" race, in case something went wrong in the 100 back last night. She will still compete in the 800 Free Relay at the Olympics.

Women's 100 Breast
A-cut = 1:08.49
B-cut = 1:10.89

• Ashley McGregor (8th)

[This message has been edited by Shane Minks (edited 3/29/2012 10:01a).]

200 Freestyle Prelims
A-cut = 1:58.33
B-cut = 2:02.47

• 46th - Kristina Kontrimas - 2:05.85

Kristina did not make the B-cut time she was looking for...she'll have another shot to make the Lithuanian Olympic Team in the 100 Freestyle on Saturday & 50 Freestyle on Sunday.

Thanks for the updates!

McGregor qualified 4th in the 100 Breast in 1:08.76

Women's 100 Breast Prelims
A-cut = 1:08.49
B-cut = 1:10.89

• 4th - Ashley McGregor - 1:08.76

Full results here: http://omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2012/Montreal/C74A_Results%20(Summary%20-%20Individual)_22_Women_100_Breast.pdf

Aggie recruit Ashely McGregor will compete in the A-final of the 100 Breast tonight, great swim by Ashley. Looks like the Ags got a good one!

[This message has been edited by AGBlastoff (edited 3/29/2012 2:53p).]

Interesting to me that Breeja swam an unrested 1:08.29 100 breast in Austin two months ago. I think she beat Jillian in that meet. Breeja would probably win Canada's trials in this event.

McGregor is close to that speed already. We will be sick fast in breaststroke next season.