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1997 Canada Games - Day 4

 

Katharine Dunn


The night began with a tremendous win in the women's 800 free by Quebec swimmer Karine Legault. Her time of 9:01.51 was seven seconds ahead of Ontario's Tanya Hunks and was a personal best for the 19-year-old.

"I went out slower than at Nationals but my time was faster," she said. "I tried to keep the rhythm and the 300 pace."

Legault won four medals in Brandon: another gold in the 200 free, and two silvers, in the 400 free and the 4x200 free relay. Legault may come by her talent naturally. Her brother, Hugues, competed in the 1993 Canada Games, and went on to make it to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Is he an inspiration to her?


Four medals for Quebec's Karine Legault
For larger 64k photo click on image. Photo © Marco Chiesa


"No, not really," she smiled. "He's my brother. But I really admire him (having) gone there."

Legault went to Atlanta to watch Hugues compete and says the Canada Games aren't that far off from the Olympics.

"I went to the village when my brother went and on a smaller scale it's the same (as the Canada Games)," she said. "If he can do it, I can do it!":

The men's 200 I.M. was won by John Stamhuis who won a medal of every color on the last night of competition. The B.C. swimmer helped his team to a silver in the 4x100 M.R., and was third in the 200 breast. "I went out fast in the fly and back and tried to hold on strong at the end because I knew most of these other guys have a stronger back end than I do," he said after his 200 I.M. win.

"It worked out a lot better than I thought," said Ontario swimmer Jason Flint.

That was the feeling of many coaches and swimmers at the meet's end.

Flint's Canada Games were outstanding. He won three gold medals in the 100 and 200 breast, and in the 4x100 M.R. He also broke (and helped his relay break) Canada Games records in all three events.

"Finishing up on that relay was probably one of the best experiences I've ever had," he said, grinning. "We brought home that gold in style."

Although Flint's times weren't personal bests, he says that doesn't matter at this competition.

"That's the good thing about Canada Games," he said. "You're just racing the guy beside you and if you win, you win."

 

Canada Games Records bettered on the last day

Men's 200 IM: top three finishers broke the record but it belongs to John Stamhuis (BC). His time of 2:08.10 bettered the old record of 2:08.62 David Bowie (AB) 1989

Men's 50 free: 23.48 Simon MacDonald (ON) betters his own record from heats, 23.59. Both records bettered the old record of 23.74 Jean-Francois Trottier (QC) 1989

Men's 200 breast: 2:19.19 Jason Flint (ON) bettered the morning swim of 2:22.02, Michel Boulianne (QC). Both times under the old record of 2:22.95 Jean Nicolas Poirier 1993

Men's 4x100 MR: top three teams broke the record but it belongs to Team Ontario. Time of 3:49.70 betters old record 3:55.20, set by another Ontario team in 1985.






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