Swimming

Double Trouble: 2nd Record for Mastromatteo on 2nd Night of 2023 U Sports Championships

February 25, 2023

2023 U SPORTS SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 23-25, 2023
Saanich Commonwealth Place – Victoria, B.C.
Defending Champions: Toronto (Women), UBC (Men)
Start Times: 10:00 am prelims/6:00 pm finals (PST)
SCM (25 meters) Prelims/LCM (50 meters) Finals
Psych Sheets
Live Results
Livestream

Written By: Ella Millloy

Toronto Varsity Blue Gabe Mastromatteo was the talk of Friday’s finals session at the 2023 U SPORTS Swimming Championships after his win in the men’s 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:01.38.

The Canadian Olympian broke the previous U SPORTS record from 2016 of 1:02.43 held by former Varsity Blue Eli Wall. Mastromatteo also won the 100 breast at last year’s championships in Laval, Que.

UBC’s Justice Migneault, who won bronze in 2022, captured silver in 1:02.59. Lethbridge Pronghorn Apollo Hess dropped to 3rd place this year in 1:02.63.

On the women’s side, Shona Branton of the Western Mustangs and rookie Danika Ethier of the Laval Rouge et Or continued to battle for the top two spots on the podium after a tight finish in yesterday’s 50 breast final.

Branton took the gold in the 100 in 1:08.99 with Ethier touching in 1:09.82. Eloise Allen of the UBC Thunderbirds earned the bronze in 1:11.43.

Allen later won the women’s 50 fly in 27.42. Dora Modrcin of the Manitoba Bisons finished just 0.05 seconds behind in 27.49 for silver. McGill’s Isabel Sarty rounded off the podium in 27.92.

In the first event of the night, fellow Thunderbird Emma O’Croinin won the 200 freestyle in 1:59.02, upsetting 2022 champion Rebecca Smith of the Calgary Dinos, who finished in 1:59.63. Ainsley McMurray of Toronto stopped the clock at 2:03.17 for 3rd.

McGill’s Pablo Collin won his 2nd gold of the competition in the men’s 200 free, finishing in 1:51.19. Toronto’s Bernard Godolphin and Western’s Kieran Stone fought for silver and bronze, with Godolphin touching ahead in 1:52.84. Stone clocked a 1:53.69.

Collin was also a member of McGill’s 4×200 free relay that earned bronze in 7:35.78 behind Toronto’s 7:35.43 and UBC’s 7:32.58. At the end of the session, Collin was awarded the 2023 U SPORTS Male Community Service Award.

The Female Community Service Award was presented to Toronto 4th year Aleksa Gold. Gold captured silver earlier in the evening in the women’s 400 IM in 4:52.00. 1st year teammate Nina Mollin won the event in 4:50.23.

Olivia Brendzan of the University of Alberta Pandas came 3rd in 4:54.73.

Gold was 3rd on Toronto’s 4×200 free relay that won bronze in 8:28.13. The Thunderbirds also won the women’s relay, touching in 8:14.87 ahead of Calgary’s 8:15.77

The podium in the men’s 400 IM was an exact repeat of 2022. Toronto’s Jacob Gallant successfully defended his title in 4:22.53. UBC’s Hugh McNeill and Brodie Young placed 2nd and 3rd in 4:24.89 and 4:25.26.

Three new faces appeared in the podium picture for the men’s 50 fly. Stephen Calkins and Thomas McDonald of the Dinos won gold and silver in 24.21 and 24.49. Lukas Wormald, a 4th year on the Waterloo Warriors team, secured the bronze in 24.66.

In the only other sprint event of the night, Toronto’s Haley Klenk touched 1st in the 50 back in 29.48. Calgary’s Hannah Johnsen and Manitoba’s Modrcin hit the wall in a tight race for silver and bronze in 29.60 and 29.68.

Chris Alexander of the Lethbridge Pronghorns won the men’s 50 back in 25.91, just 0.09 seconds over the U SPORTS record held by McGill’s Clément Secchi, who is now competing in the American collegiate system at the University of Missouri. Blake Tierney and Dima Lim of the Thunderbirds podiumed in 26.15 and 26.21.

The last short course session of the 2023 U SPORTS Swimming Championships starts Saturday at 10 a.m. PST. Long course finals being at 6 p.m. PST.