UCSC wins banner as Canadian championships close with two national records
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TORONTO – The University of Calgary Swim Club won the overall team banner as the last day of the Canadian Swimming Championships delivered record-breaking performances once again.
In his last individual event, Tyson Jacob from Les Loutres made sure to end his meet with another record. Jacob swam to a men’s 50 backstroke S5 national record with a morning swim of 47.49.
One more record fell as Hunter Helberg of Fort McMurray Mantas Swim Club broke the men’s 100 backstroke S12 national record with a 1:14.82 swim.
During the men’s 200 breaststroke 19 and over final, James Dergousoff from the High Performance Centre – Vancouver easily took the crown racing to a 2:11.91 finish.
It was a tough performance for someone who’s been in competition mode for almost a month and returned less than a week ago from the 2023 World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Dergousoff credited his training centre for keeping him in shape to return to Canada and win two national titles at the Canadian Swimming Championships.
“We do so many metres and technical metres and that allows me to keep pushing myself whether it’s day seven or day fourteen of competition,” he said.
While some swimmers were finishing out their first Canadian Championships, others were reminiscing about swimming their last race. Paralympian Danielle Kisser from the High Performance Centre – Québec got in the pool with her teammates one last time for the Para mixed 4×100 freestyle relay – 34 points.
“Everyone says it’s hard to prepare for the end of your career and I’m definitely feeling a lot of the emotions but it’s been a real joy to be able to end my last race here in Canada,” said Kisser. “I had a lot of fun racing with no pressure and with my teammates that are here but also definitely a little surreal.”
Kisser made her first national team in 2011 at the age of 14, was a part of multiple World Para Championships teams, and competed at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in 2021. She brought back two medals from the 2018 Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships.
“I’ve had a lot of disappointments and setbacks so it really made those other few moments very special,” added Kisser when reminiscing about her career. “I think going to the Paralympics was pretty amazing. It was a dream that I had, but really just training with some of my best friends and getting to feel included in high-level sport, getting to go places that not many people get to go. I loved every bit of it.”
At the end of the night, the University of Calgary Swim Club took home three of the four combined awards winning the Junior Team Banner, the Women’s Team Championship banner, and the Combined Team Championship banner. Club Aquatique Montreal took home the Men’s Team Championship banner.
Below is the complete list of national champions from Day 6 and the championship award winners.
DAY 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS – AUG. 6
Women
50 backstroke (Para multiclass): Alisson Gobeil, Club Juvaqua d’Alma, 57.15
100 backstroke (Para multiclass): Emma Van Dyk, Brock Niagara Aquatics, 1:12.45
50 backstroke (13-14): Madison Kryger, Brock Niagara Aquatics, 29.35
50 backstroke (15-17): Delia Lloyd, Etobicoke Swim Club, 28.85
50 backstroke (18+): Danielle Hanus, Richmond Rapids Swim Club, 28.14
200 freestyle (13-14): Ziyun Liu, Canadian Dolphins Swim Club, 2:05.69
200 freestyle (15-17): Maxine Clarke, University of Calgary Swim Club, 2:01.51
200 freestyle (18+): Rebecca Smith, University of Calgary Swim Club, 1:58.68
200 breaststroke (13-14): Alexandra Leno, Etobicoke Swim Club, 2:38.55
200 breaststroke (15-17): Alexanne Lepage, Kelowna Aquajets, 2:31.43
200 breaststroke (18+): Rachel Nicol, University of Calgary Swim Club, 2:25.55
Men
50 backstroke (Para multiclass): Tyson Jacob, Les Loutres, 48.77
100 backstroke (Para multiclass): Tyson MacDonald, Region of Waterloo Swim Club, 1:04.13
50 backstroke (14-15): Parker Deshayes, Cascade Swim Club, 26.67
50 backstroke (16-18): Wells Ginzer, Okotoks Mavericks Swim Club, 26.12
50 backstroke (19+): Loic Courville Fortin, Club Aquatic de Montreal, 25.72
200 freestyle (14-15): Laon Kim, University of Calgary Swim Club, 1:49.62
200 freestyle (16-18): Filip Senc-Samardzic, Toronto Swim Club, 1:49.96
200 freestyle (19+): Tristan Jankovics, Royal City Aquatics, 1:49.64
200 breaststroke (14-15): Oliver Dawson, Grande Prairie Piranhas, 2:20.90
200 breaststroke (16-18): Steve Frantskevich, Ramac Swim Club, 2:15.97
200 breaststroke (19+): James Dergousoff, High Performance Centre – Vancouver, 2:11.91
Relays
Women’s 4 x 100 medley relay (13-14): University of Calgary 1, 4:24.28
Women’s 4 x 100 medley relay (15+): Langley & Abbotsford Olympians 1, 4:09.02
Men’s 4 x 100 medley relay (14-15): Club Aquatique Montreal 1, 4:00.90
Men’s 4 x 100 medley relay (16+): University of Calgary Swim Club 2, 3:45.68
CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
Women
Canadian Female High Point Aggregate (13-14): Ziyun Liu, Canadian Dolphin Swim Club
Canadian Female High Point Aggregate (15-17): Alexanne Lepage, Kelowna Aquajets
Canadian Female High Point Aggregate (18+): Megan Willar, Pointe-Claire Swim Club and Rachel Nicol University of Calgary Swim Club
Canadian Para Female Top Swim of the meet: Maxine Lavitt, University of Manitoba Bisons, 50 freestyle, 28.46
Men
Canadian Male High Point Aggregate (14-15): Laon Kim, University of Calgary Swim Club
Canadian Male High Point Aggregate (16-18): Filip Senc-Samardzic, Toronto Swim Club
Canadian Male High Point Aggregate (19+): Alexander Axon, Markham Aquatic Club and Tristan Jankovics, Royal City Aquatic Club
Canadian Para Male Top Swim of the meet: Tyson MacDonald Region of Waterloo Swim Club, 200 Individual Medley, 2:17.65
Overall Team Banner: University of Calgary Swim Club – 3,944 points