2024 Canadian Swimming Trials: Preview, Schedule and how to watch live
The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Swimming Trials are set for 13-19 May at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC). Tickets are nearly sold out for the seven-day competition. The venue, dubbed the “Fastest pool in Canada,” will see a dynamic mix of Olympic hopefuls and veterans compete to earn their berth to Paris 2024.
Canada earned six of its 24 medals in swimming at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The established and upcoming talent on display at this week’s swimming trials will be an opportunity to showcase the strength of the Canadian squad ahead of Paris 2024.
The nation will be looking to fill out its rosters for all seven Olympic relays for which it has qualified. Competing athletes include Summer McIntosh, Maggie MacNeil, Penny Oleksiak, Kylie Masse, Taylor Ruck, Josh Liendo, and Ilya Kharun.
Seventeen-year-old Summer McIntosh is undoubtedly headlining the Canadian team heading into the Trials. She’s entered in seven events, including the 100, 200 and 400 freestyle, the 200 and 400 individual medley, plus the 100 backstroke and 200 butterfly—one per day. This packed schedule is possible thanks to the trials format, which omits semi-finals.
Read on to discover everything you need to know about the 2024 Canadian swimming trials.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
Athletes to watch at the 2024 Canadian swimming trials
Summer McIntosh is leading the next generation of Canadian female swimmers as the top seed in six entries, including the 200 and 400 freestyle, 200 butterfly, 200 and 400 individual medley and 100 freestyle. McIntosh is no stranger to this venue. She set two world records at the TPASC during the 2023 World Championship Trials: the 400m individual medley in 4:25.87 and the 400m freestyle in 3:56.08. There’s much speculation about how hard the 17-year-old phenomenon will go in Toronto, but she has a reputation for not holding back.
These Trials will be telling for Penny Oleksiak who has kept a low profile heading into the competition, which is par for the course for Oleksiak. The 7-time Olympic medalist, Canada’s most decorated Olympian, maintained a tempered competition schedule between Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Will the same approach work for the 24-year-old ahead of Paris? She’s entered in the women’s 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.
Taylor Ruck will be working toward her career goal of winning an individual Olympic medal to add to the several relay medals she’s earned at the previous two Olympics. She’s entered in the women’s 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle and the 100m backstroke.
Maggie MacNeil, the reigning Olympic champion in the 100m butterfly, also has her eyes set on Paris. She has stated that this will be her last Olympic run, so all eyes will be on MacNeil to secure her berth. She’ll compete in the 100m freestyle and the 100m butterfly.
Four-time Olympic Medalist Kylie Masse will compete in the 100m and 200m backstroke and the 100m butterfly.
On the men’s side, Josh Liendo is at the top of the pack among the men’s swimmers. He’s fresh off a standout NCAA season and was the lone Canadian medalist at the 2023 World Championships, where he earned silver in the 100m butterfly. He’ll be competing in the 50, 100, and 200m freestyle and the 100m butterfly.
Also, look for Ilya Kharun to lead the field in the 200-meter butterfly and attempt the 100-meter butterfly against Liendo. Both are expected to advance through the trials to Paris.
Finlay Knox will attend these trials as the 200m Individual Medley world champion; he’s following McIntosh in loading his plate with six entries.
18-year-old Lorne Wigginton is the top seed in the men’s 400 free and a favorite in the 400 individual medley.
2024 Canadian Swimming Trials A Finals Schedule
Monday 13 May
- Men’s and Women’s 400 Freestyle
- Women’s and Men’s Para 50 Butterfly
- Men’s and Women’s Para 100 Butterfly
- Women’s 100 Butterfly
- Men’s 100 Breaststroke
Tuesday 14 May
- Men’s 400 Individual Medley
- Women’s 200 Freestyle
- Men’s 100 Backstroke
- Women’s 100 Breaststroke
- Women’s and Men’s Para 50 Breaststroke
- Women’s and men’s Para 100 Breaststroke
Wednesday 15 May
- Men’s and Women’s Para 400 Freestyle
- Men’s 200 Freestyle
- Women’s 100 Backstroke
- Men’s 200 Breaststroke
- Women’s 1500 Freestyle
- Women’s and Men’s Para 150 Individual Medley
Thursday 16 May
- Women’s 400 Individual Medley
- Men’s 100 Freestyle
- Women’s 200 Backstroke
- Men’s and Women’s Para 100 Freestyle
- Men’s 800 Freestyle
Friday 17 May
- Men’s and Women’s Para 50 Backstroke
- Women’s 100 Freestyle
- Men’s 200 Backstroke
- Women’s 200 Breaststroke
- Men’s 200 Butterfly
- Women’s and Men’s Para 200 Individual Medley
Saturday 18 May
- Men’s and Women’s Para 100 Backstroke
- Women’s 200 Butterfly
- Men’s 200 Individual Medley
- Men’s 50 Freestyle
- Women’s 800 Freestyle
Sunday 19 May
- Men’s and Women’s Para 50 Freestyle
- Women’s 50 Freestyle
- Men’s 100 Butterfly
- Women’s 200 Individual Medley
- Women’s and Men’s Para 200 Freestyle
- Men’s 1500 Freestyle
How to watch the 2024 Canadian Swimming Trials
CBC Sports and CBC Gem are live-streaming the prelims and finals on YouTube at this link.