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Ryan, Michie break Canadian records in world championships morning heats

2015 IPC Worlds, News, Para-swimming –

By Jim Morris

GLASGOW, Scotland – Samantha Ryan and Gordie Michie broke Canadian records to advance to the finals at the IPC Swimming World Championships Friday morning.

Ryan’s time of one minute, 11:40 seconds broke her old mark of 1:12.20 in the S10 100-meter butterfly. Michie swam 2:19.46 to break the old mark of 2:20.39 in the S14 200-m individual medley.

“It’s really good to look up at the board and see I did good,” said Saskatoon resident Ryan. “It gives me more confidence for tonight.”

Michie, of St. Thomas, Ont., raised his arms in celebration after climbing out of the pool.

“It feels so good,” he said. “I made a final.”

A total of nine swimmers plus the men’s 4×100-m 34 point freestyle relay will wear the Maple Leaf in the finals.

Canada will be looking to increase its medal count of seven (one goal, three silver, three bronze.)

Nathan Stein of Maple Ridge, B.C., will be looking to earn his second medal of the championships.

Stein swam 59.55 seconds for the third fastest time in the S10 100-m butterfly. Alec Elliot of Waterloo, Ont., was fourth in 1:00.27.

“I don’t train fly,” said Stein who earlier won a bronze in the men’s 50-meter S10 freestyle. “We will see how it comes out tonight.”

Zack McAllister of Lethbridge, Alta., swam 4:46.60 for the seventh-fastest qualifying time in the S8 400-m freestyle. Zach Zona of Waterford, Ont., finished 12th in 4:55.97.

“I’m not happy with that but I’m not disappointed either,” McAllister said about his time. “I can probably go faster tonight.”

Morgan Bird of Calgary qualified seventh for the S8 400-m freestyle final in 5:26.68. Sabrina Duchesne of Quebec City was ninth in 5:30.86.

Jean-Michel Lavalliere of Quebec City qualified in the S7 50-meter butterfly in 33.85 seconds. Nathan Clement of West Vancouver, B.C., was 11th in 35.13.

Sarah Mehain and Tess Routliffe both qualified in the S7 50-m butterfly. Mehain, of Vernon, B.C., had the third best time of 37.56 seconds while Routliffe, of Caledon, Ont., was seventh in 42.49.

Nydia Langill of Mississauga, Ont., swam a personal best time of 46.79 to finish 10th.

The men’s relay team of Adam Purdy, Zona, Benoit and Elliot had the sixth-best qualifying time of 4:21.42.

In other morning swims, Katarina Roxon of Kippens, N.L., was 13 in the S9 100-m butterfly in 1:16.84. Justine Morrier of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., was ninth in the S14 200-m IM in 2:46.53.

In the men’s S14 200-IM Maxime Rousselle of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu was 10th in 2:20.83 while Adam Rahier of Powell River, B.C., was 17th in 2:24.08.

Danial Murphy of Bedford, N.S., was 12th in the S5 50-m freestyle in 42.97 seconds.

The competition, which ends Sunday, has attracted 580 athletes from close to 70 countries to the Tollcross International Swimming Centre. It’s the largest swimming competition before next year’s Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janerio.

All heats and finals will be shown live at http://www.paralympic.org/glasgow-2015Glasgow2015.com. Results can be found at www.paralympic.org/glasgow-2015/schedule/results.

 “It’s really good to look up at the board and see I did good. It gives me more confidence for tonight.”