Banner Season: Varsity Blues continue to lead following day two as remaining podium battles heat up
Scarborough, Ont. (via McMaster Marauders) – Building off their momentum from a strong day one, the Toronto Varsity Blues swimming teams came away with 11 gold medal performances on the second day of championship action.
After settling for silver the past two seasons, Hannah Genich picked up her first gold medal, and third of the championships, winning the women’s 50m butterfly (26.79).
Genich followed that effort up by clinching gold for the fourth straight season in the women’s 200m butterfly in record fashion (2:09.10), surpassing her own time of 2:10.25 from only a year ago.
Rachel Rode returned to the top of the podium in the women’s 50m freestyle (25.63). After a falling to her former teammate and record-holder in this event, Kylie Masse, Rode clinched her first gold medal in the sprint since 2017.
Picking up her first career OUA gold on day one, the second-year varsity blues swimmer already has three gold medals at these championships, with a win earlier in the day in the women’s 100m backstroke (59.87).
A pair of first-time individual medalist’s in Kate Rendall and Tyler Wall reached the top of the podium. Rendall captured gold in the women’s 400m freestyle (4:18.36), while Wall finished first in the men’s 100m backstroke (54.64).
After settling for silver last season, Toronto second-year swimmer Graeme Aylward earned his second gold medal of the championship in the men’s 200m breaststroke (2:14.70).
In due part to their dominance on the podium, the Varsity Blues hold a commanding lead in the team standings sitting comfortably in first place on both sides. The defending champions sit first in the women’s team standings with 1326 points, and first on the men’s side with 1366.
Holding down second place are the Western Mustangs who moved up a spot from third at the end of day one, with 784.5 points on both sides.
Western Mustangs first-year phenom Ella Rennie continued to turn heads, defeating three-time defending gold medalist Jasmine Raines in the women’s 200m breaststroke by 0.08 seconds to claim gold (2:29.20).
Sebastian Paulins swam to first in the men’s 400m freestyle (3:49.73) for the Mustangs and picked up his second gold medal on the night by dethroning defending champion Osvald Nitski in the men’s 200m butterfly (1:58.77).
After capturing gold last night, Matthew Fox tripled his medal haul with a pair of silver medal performances on day two. The fourth-year ‘Stang finished second in the men’s 100m backstroke (54.69), and 50m freestyle (23.00).
The host McMaster women’s team falls to third, joining the men’s team with 743.5 points apiece.
Opening the day, third-year Marauder Emma Schlyter swam to her first career individual OUA medal, capturing bronze in the women’s 400m freestyle (4:20.97). Schlyter kept the hardware coming for the maroon, ending the day on the second leg of a silver medal 800m freestyle relay (8:16.13).
Finishing third in their respective events, Cameron Johnsen and Ian Mackinnon picked up their second individual medals of the meet. Johnsen captured bronze in the men’s 200m breaststroke (2:16.17), while Mackinnon doubled up on yesterday’s bronze with a third-place finish in the men’s 100m backstroke (55.33).
TEAM STANDINGS AFTER DAY 2:
Women
1. Toronto Varsity Blues (678.5)
2. Western Mustangs (440.5)
3. McMaster Marauders (416.5)
4. Laurentian Voyageurs (241)
5. Guelph Gryphons (214)
6. Waterloo Warriors (188)
7. Brock Badgers (97.5)
8. Queen’s Gaels (79)
9. Laurier Golden Hawks (58)
10. Carleton Ravens (50)
11. York Lions (18)
Men
1. Toronto Varsity Blues (678.5)
2. Waterloo Warriors (364)
3. McMaster Marauders (361)
4. Western Mustangs (344)
5. Guelph Gryphons (183)
6. Brock Badgers (137)
7. Laurentian Voyageurs (133.5)
8. Queen’s Gaels (100)
9. Carleton Ravens (80)
10. Laurier Golden Hawks (44)
11. York Lions (23)
Women’s 400m Freestyle
1. Kate Rendall, Toronto, 4:15.89
2. Claire Howard, Toronto, 4:17.20
3. Emma Schlyter, McMaster, 4:20.97
Men’s 400m Freestyle
1. Sebastian Paulins, Western, 3:49.73
2. Bernard Godolphin, Toronto, 3:54.18
3. Max Tambling, Toronto, 3:55.59
Women’s 50M Butterfly
1. Hannah Genich, Toronto, 26.79
2. Rachel Rode, Toronto, 27.32
3. Sarah Polley, Toronto, 27.56
Men’s 50m Butterfly
1. Bjoern-Ole Schrader, Toronto, 24.41
2. Lukas Wormald, Waterloo, 24.68
3. Matthew Mac, Toronto, 24.71
Women’s 200m Breaststroke
1. Ella Rennie, Western, 2:29.20
2. Jasmine Raines, Laurier, 2:29.28
3. Megan Deering, Western, 2:29.71
Men’s 200m Breaststroke
1. Graeme Aylward, Toronto, 2:14.70
2. Ian. Chambers, Waterloo, 2:15.66
3. Cameron Johnsen, McMaster, 2:16.17
Women’s 100m Backstroke
1. Aleksa Gold, 59.81, Toronto
2. Veronica Nichol, 1:01.43, McMaster
3. Eloise Ladyman, 1:02.43, Waterloo
Men’s 100m Backstroke
1. Tyler Wall, Toronto, 54.64
2. Matthew Fox, Western, 54.69
3. Ian Mackinnon, McMaster, 55.33
Women’s 200m Butterfly
1. Hannah Genich, Toronto, 2:09.10 OUA RECORD
2. Georgia Kidd, Toronto, 2:12.21
3. Megan Romkes, 2:16.72
Men’s 200m Butterfly
1. Sebastian Paulins, Western, 1:58.77
2. Osvald Nitski, Toronto, 2:01.12
2. Kevork Baghdassarian, McMaster, 2:04.68
Women’s 50m Freestyle
1. Rachel Rode, Toronto, 25.63
2. Ainsley McMurray, Toronto, 25.64
3. Isabelle Lei, McMaster, 25.80
Men’s 50m Freestyle
1. Ethan Fazekas, Toronto, 22.69
2. Matthew Fox, Western, 23.00
3. Samuel Boily-Dufour, Laurentian, 23.06
Women’s 800m Freestyle Relay
1. Toronto, 8:11.56
(Claire Howard, Hannah Genich, Kate Rendall, Georgia Kidd)
2. McMaster, 8:16.13
(Erin Anderson, Emma Schlyter, Gabrielle Studebaker, Isabelle Lei)
3. Western, 8:31.38
(Ella Rennie, Katelyn Cairns, Rachel Sawchuk, Stephanie Cairns)
Men’s 800m Freestyle Relay
1. Toronto, 7:24.75
(Gaël Chaubet, Bjoern-Ole Schrader, Max Tambling, Bernard Godolphin)
2. McMaster, 7:31.97
(Alex Tropynine, Kevork Baghdassarian, Mitch Muizelaar, Ian Mackinnon)
3. Waterloo, 7:41.54
(Josh Bird, Michael Li, Kaan Alsan, Hohyun Ryu)