CIS produces over half of Canadian Olympic roster

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Canadian Olympic swimming trials came to an end on Sunday in Montreal with 31 athletes being nominated for the 2012 Summer Games. Of the group, no less than 17 are current or former CIS swimmers.

Highlighting the list of Canadian university standouts who booked their ticket for London are University of British Columbia teammates Savannah King (400-800 freestyle) and Tommy Gossland (4x100 free relay), the reigning CIS female and male swimmers of the year.

Other CIS stars past and present who claimed an Olympic berth over the last six days include UBC’s Heather MacLean (4x100 free), Martha McCabe (200 breaststroke), Tera Van Beilen (100-200 breast), Scott Dickens (100-200 breast, 4x100 medley) and Brent Hayden (50-100 free, 4x100 free); Victoria’s Hilary Caldwell (200 backstroke), Stephanie Horner (400 IM) and Ryan Cochrane (400 free, 1500 free); Calgary’s Erica Morningstar (200 IM) and Amanda Reason (4x200 free); as well as Montreal’s Audrey Lacroix (200 butterfly), McGill’s Victoria Poon (50 free, 4x100 free), Guelph’s Andrew Ford (200 IM), Toronto’s Colin Russell (4x100 free) and Dalhousie’s David Sharpe (200 fly).

Eight of the 17 London-bound CIS swimmers have previous Olympic experience, including King (2008), Morningstar (2008), Lacroix (2008), Poon (2008), Dickens (2004), Hayden (2004, 2008), Cochrane (2008) and Russell (2008).

Cochrane, who earned CIS swimmer-of-the-year honours with the Vikes in 2010-11, won Canada’s lone swimming medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with a bronze in the 1,500 metres.

McCabe, Morningstar, Dickens and Russell have also been named CIS MVP during their career.

The 31-member Olympic roster is Canada’s largest swimming contingent since 2000 and four more than in 2008. The swimming competition in London will run from July 28 to August 4.

TRIAL NOTES: On Saturday, Van Beilen (2:24.03) and McCabe (2:24.81) swam the second and third fastest times in the world this year in the women’s 200 breaststroke... McCabe claimed bronze in the event at the 2011 FINA world championships in Shanghai.

Source: CIS