Canadian Olympic team swimmers display impressive form at Canada Cup

Canadian Olympic team swimmers display impressive form at Canada Cup
 
July, 07, 2012 MONTREAL – With the Olympic Games set to start in three weeks, Canadian Olympic nominee Barbara Jardin of Montreal has been able to control her excitement as she races at the Canada Cup swimming competition, her last event before London 2012.
 
Jardin opened the competition Friday with a victory in the women’s 400-metre freestyle.  She finished ahead of two Olympic teammates: Brittany MacLean and Alexa Komarnycky, both of Etobicoke, in second and third respectively.
 
‘’I was happy with my race tonight,’’ said Jardin, who clocked 4:09.26.  ‘’The first half of my race was very strong and going out that fast is a really good sign for my 200 freestyle.’’
 
Jardin says she is not changing her routine too much as she prepares for the Games.
 
‘’I’m trying not too make to nerve-wracking but the excitement is building.  The Olympic veterans on the team have done a good job prepping us.’’
 
Six other Olympic nominees were in the winners circle Friday: for the men, Tobias Oriwol of Toronto in the 200 backstroke and Ryan Cochrane of Victoria in the 400 freestyle.  For the women, Julia Wilkinson of Stratford, Ont., in the 100 freestyle, Katerine Savard of Pont-Rouge, Que., in the 200 butterfly, Martha McCabe ofBurlington, Ont., in the 50 breaststroke and Erica Morningstar of Calgary in the 200 IM.
 
‘’I had a very good last 50 metres,’’ said Savard, who clocked a season best 2:09.16.  ‘’I can feel that I’m improving and I’m very confident about the Olympics.’’
 
‘’I wish I had gone a little faster,’’ said Oriwol.  ‘’The splits were good and I felt good.’’
 
Canada’s Paralympic swim team members are also in action this weekend at the Canada Cup.  On Friday winners included Valérie Grand’Maison of Montreal in the 100 freestyle, Summer Mortimer of Ancaster, Ont., in the 100 backstroke and Benoit Huot of Montreal in the men’s 100 backstroke.
 
Competition continues Saturday at the Olympic Park Aquatic Complex.  Preliminaries are at 9 a.m., and finals at 6 p.m.