Shayna Lewis

OTTAWA, ON—Javier Acevedo (Markham Aquatic Club) and Penny Oleksiak (High Performance Centre-Ontario) had their FINA junior world records officially sanctioned this week.

Both swimmers turned in outstanding performances at the Canadian Olympic & Para-Swimming Trials at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in April.

Acevedo swam a time of 53.67 in the 100-metre backstroke, and saw his best time drop an incredible 1.57 seconds from his pre-Trials best. The 18-year-old’s result is just 0.04 off the Canadian senior mark set by Pascal Wollach in 2009. Acevedo improved upon the previous record of 54.03 held by Grecian Aspostolos Christou.

In her home pool, Oleksiak, 15, became the first Canadian woman to break the 57-second barrier in the 100-metre butterfly, clocking in at 56.99. Four days later in the 100-metre freestyle, Oleksiak’s junior world record time of 53.31 eclipsed the previous mark of 53.84 set by China’s Shen Duo. The teenager also topped Pan Am gold medalist Chantal Van Landeghem’s senior record by more than half a second.

“ It is great that both Javier and Penny have had the records they set at our Trials ratified by FINA,” said High Performance Director John Atkinson. “ They both have a big year ahead them, and are working with their coaches (Rob Novak and Ben Titley, respectively) toward the Rio Games.”

Swimming at the 2016 Olympic Games will take place from August 6-13.