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Cochrane Leads Island 1500m Battle

Apr 6, 2013  - Craig Lord

Olympic silver (2012) and bronze (2008) medallist Ryan Cochrane, dipped below the 15-minute mark to take the 1500m free at Canadian World Championship Trials in Victoria, drawing Island teammates Will Brothers, 18, and Eric Hedlin, 19, with him to the cusp of membership of the sub-15 club.

The last day of the meet saw Ashton Baumann, son of medley legend Alex, join the Canadian team after a tie for the 200m breaststroke title. For the 1500m men, three into a world championships don't go, so Cochrane, already on the team for the 400m and scheduled to race the 800m too, will compete alongside Brothers, his 14:59.73 ahead of the silver medallist's 15:02.48, over 30 laps at FINA World Championships in Barcelona this summer, Hedlin locked out on 15:03.64. 

Those are the best three times in the world so far this year. Expect that to change when Sun Yang and Co step up in China within hours and a wave of trials around the world hit the ranks over the course of the next month.

The 500m splits and the last 200m from home tell the tale of how it panned out.

  • 4:59.48; 10:01.61; 13:01.46; 14:01.60; 14:59.73
  • 5:00.61; 10:03.39; 13:04.08; 14:03.89; 15:02.48
  • 5:00.10; 10:02.65; 13:02.85; 14:03.33; 15:03.64

It was like a Canadian version of the 1976 Olympic final. But then that was 1976 and elsewhere at the trials there was much evidence of the catch-up Canada faces if it is to be a threat to the podium come the big meet. One of the aims of the Canadian programme, headlined by a 2020 turnaround, is to have its swimmers step up from trials times and be at their best not for qualification but the big meet proper. That will be essential if the majority of the 30-plus squad selected this past week are to make finals in Barcelona.

Domestic challenge helps the process and none came tighter than that in the 200m breaststroke. Richard Funk, 20, and Ashton Baumann, son of Canadian legend Alex Baumann, shared the 200m breaststroke crown in 2:14.84, with James Guest, 16, third in 2:15.87.  Baumann, joining the team, is based in New Zealand.

In other action, Tera Van Beilen took the 200m breaststroke in 2:25.84 ahead of Martha McCabe, on 2:27.35, and Ashley McGregor, 2:27.55 (In heats, Fiona Doyle clocked 2:30.21 to set an Irish record inside the 2:30.63 that had stood to Shani Stallard since last year); Savannah King, claimed the 800m free in 8:33.49 ahead of Alexa Komarnycky's 8:34.17, with Tabitha Baumann 17, on a best of 8:41.13 for third; Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, 17, clocked 2:13.29 to win the 200m medley ahead of Komarnycky's 2:14.28, Paige Schultz third in 2:15.78; and Andrew Ford claimed the 200IM among men in 2:00.03, with Evan White, 17, and Alec Page, 19, on 2:02.38 and 2:02.46 respectively.

The 50m free finals went to Chantal Vanlandeghem, 19, in 25.19, and Chris Manning, on 22.71, 0.01sec ahead of Luke Peddie, 19.

The Canadian team for the 2013 FINA World Championships:

  • Women:
  • Barbara Jardin, Montreal, 200 FR, 1:58.25
  • Sinead Russell, Burlington, Ont., 100 BK 1:00.12
  • Kristina Steins, Burlington, Ont., 100 BK, 1:00.85
  • Audrey Lacroix, Pont-Rouge, Que., 200 FL, 2:07.89
  • Katerine Savard, Pont-Rouge, Que., 200 FL, 2:08.34; 100 FL, 58.06
  • Samantha Cheverton, Pointe-Claire, Que., 200 FR, 1:58.80; 100 FR, 55.67
  • Brittany MacLean, Etobicoke, Ont., 200 FR, 1:59.53
  • Savannah King, Vancouver, 200 FR, 2:00.34; 400 FR, 4:10.34; 800 FR, 8:33.49
  • Tera Van Beilen, Oakville, Ont., 100 BR, 1:08.15; 200 BR, 2:25.84
  • Alexa Komarnycky, Victoria, 400 IM, 4:41.65; 800 FR, 8:34.17; 200 IM, 2:14.28
  • Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, Ottawa, 400 IM, 4:42.71; 200 IM, 2:13.29
  • Victoria Poon, Montreal, 100 FR, 55.31; 50 FR, 25.24
  • Sandrine Mainville, Montreal, 100 FR, 55.32
  • Chantal van Landeghem, Winnipeg, 100 FR, 55.35; 50 FR, 25.19
  • Noemie Thomas, Vancouver, 100 FL, 58.31
  • Hilary Caldwell, White Rock, B.C., 200 BK, 2:09.31
  • Martha McCabe, Toronto, 200 BR, 2:27.35
  • Men:
  • Blake Worsley, Victoria, 200 FR, 1:48.80
  • Charles Francis, Montreal, 100 BK, 55.34
  • Zack Chetrat, Toronto, 200 FL, 1:58.01
  • Alec Page, Victoria, 200 FR, 1:49.36; 400 IM, 4:18.06
  • Aly Abdel-Khalik, Etobicoke, Ont., 200 FR, 1:49.59
  • Hassaan Abdel-Khalik, Etobicoke, Ont., 200 FR, 1:49.84; 100 FR, 50.57
  • Joel Greenshields, Calgary, 100 FR, 50.36
  • Richard Funk, Edmonton, 100 BR, 1:00.87
  • Tommy Gossland, Vancouver, 100 FR, 50.50
  • Luke Peddie, Vancouver, 100 FR, 50.62
  • Ryan Cochrane, Victoria, 400 FR, 3:47.08; 1500 FR, 14:59.73
  • Will Brothers, Victoria, 1500 FR, 15:02.48
  • Coleman Allen, Vancouver, 100 FL, 53.57
  • Russell Wood, Calgary, 200 BK, 2:01.01
  • Chris Manning, Brantford, Ont., 50 FR, 22.71
  • Ashton Baumann, Ottawa, 200 BR, 2:14.84
  • Andrew Ford of Guelph, Ont, 200IM 2:00.03

Meet honours:

  • Rookie of the Meet: Male - Nathan Sawicki, Alberta Marlin Aquatic Club; Female - Olivia Anderson, Etobicoke Swimming
  • Swim of the Meet: Male - Ryan Cochrane, Island Swimming/Victoria Academy of Swimming (400-m freestyle, 3:47.08, 910 FINA points); Female - Sinead Russell, Dolphin Swim Club (100-m backstroke, 1:00.12, 903 FINA points)
  • High Point Aggregate Award: Male - Ryan Cochrane, Island Swimming, 15 points; Female - Tera Van Beilen, Oakville Aquatic Club/Vancouver National Swim Centre, 12 points
  • The Cascade Swim Club won the men's overall team championship and tweeted: "It was a historical night for the Cascade Swim Club winning their first ever senior national team banner and a moment all Cascade swimmers can be proud of!"