Canada is sending a team of twenty-six swimmers to the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel, after an extremely strong selection trials where 76 swims were under the selection standard.
Eleven swimmers will return to the international stage after racing at last year’s Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Hawaii, including Ella Jansen and Kamryn Cannings who were part of Canada’s bronze medal-winning team in the Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay.
Cannings has enjoyed a strong start to 2023 and will aim to keep up her winning form in Israel after claiming the butterfly treble at the Canadian Swimming Trials earlier this month.
Cannings showed she has both speed and stamina, winning the 50m Butterfly in a 26.98 while also powering home in the 200m Butterfly in a time of 2:11.84 - more than three seconds clear of the second-placed swimmer.
Aidan Norman, one of four University of Calgary swimmers on the team, is another swimmer to watch, his all-time best of 55.23 in the 100m Backstroke likely to put him in contention for a medal in Netanya.
At his most recent outing at the Canadian Swimming Championships just a few weeks ago, he posted a 55.66, while also claiming the national age title in the 200m Backstroke in a 2:03.27.
In the 100m Backstroke Norman will swim alongside clubmate Paul Dardis who will also be aiming to clock a career-first ‘sub-56’.
Canada’s National Development Coach, Ken McKinnon, said it was a highly competitive year to earn a junior team berth.
“The women’s team spots were hotly contested at trials, with between eight and twelve girls racing for the two team spots in every event, and Canada will field two swimmers in every single female event,” said McKinnon.
“And although the men’s team is leaner in terms of numbers, we expect some very competitive swims.”
TOP PERFORMERS | Canadian Swimming Championships (1-6 August 2023)
Aiden Norman: 2 x Gold - 100m Backstroke (55.66), 200m Backstroke (2:03.27)
Kamryn Cannings: 3 x Gold - 50m Butterfly (26.98), 100m Butterfly (59.15), 200m Butterfly (2:11.84)
Will Canada’s juniors the senior team’s six-medal haul from Fukuoka? Stay tuned to worldaquatics.com from 4-9 September for daily updates from the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships.