Indiana University sophomore swimmer Brooklynn Snodgrass has been named to Canada’s national team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, as well as the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships.
Swimming Canada implemented new selection policies this year focused on selecting swimmers with the best opportunity to compete internationally, now and in the future. In some cases, simply winning a national championship at Trials was not enough to earn a spot.
“Our selection policies this year for both teams were based on world standards. We set criteria for both teams based on the 16th-fastest time in each event from the Barcelona 2013 FINA World Championships,” said Swimming Canada High Performance Director John Atkinson.
The Pan Pacs team features 21 female swimmers and 15 males, while 20 females and 10 males are nominated to the Commonwealth Games. The Pan Pacific Championships will take place August 21-25 in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The Commonwealth Games take place July 24-29 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Snodgrass earned her spot on both teams with a second-place finish in the 100-meter backstroke at last week’s Canadian Trials. Snodgrass’ time of 1:00.23 was well under the standard of 1:01.25 set by Swimming Canada for team selection.
Snodgrass also finished second in the 50-meter backstroke (28.52) and fifth in the 200-meter backstroke (2:10.68).
Snodgrass is just three weeks removed from winning the NCAA title in the 200-yard backstroke with a career-best time of 1:50.52. She also set a new IU and Big Ten record at the NCAA meet in the 100 back, clocking in at 51.05 for a fourth-place finish.
Texas A&M senior swimmer Kyle Troskot earned a spot on Canada’s Pan Pacific Games team after a strong weekend at the Canadian Swimming Trials .
Troskot, from Lethbridge, Alberta, will represent Canada at the Pan Pacific Games in Gold Coast, Australia this summer. Troskot, A&M’s school record holder in the 50-yard freestyle, earned his spot on the squad with a runner-up finish in the 50 free in a time of 22.77. Troskot was the top seed after the morning prelims with a time of 22.86, but was edged out in the evening final by Yuri Kisil, 22.53-22.77. Troskot also shined in the 100 butterfly with a fourth place finish in 54.44.
In other action involving Aggies, sophomore Ashley McGregor (Pointe-Claire, Québec) tallied four fourth-place finishes in the 50 breast (31.85), 100 breast (1:10.03), 200 breast (2:27.11) and the 200 IM (2:16.74); senior Paige Miller (Caledon, Ontario) finished third in the 50 back (28.56), 10th in the 100 back (1:02.76) and 12th in the 100 fly; freshman Sycerika McMahon (who is from Northern Ireland, thus ineligible for the “A” final) won the 200 IM “B” final in 2:17.61, and finished second in the “B” finals of the 50 breast (32.04), 100 breast (1:09.66) and 200 breast (2:30.98); senior Henrik Lindau (from Sweden, thus ineligible for “A” final) won the “B” final of the 50 fly (24.79); freshman Turker Ayar (from Turkey) placed sixth in the 100 free “B” final (51.52). freshman Or Sabatier (from Israel) finished fourth in the 50 free “B” final (23.28) and seventh in the 100 free “B” final (51.69).
