Ryan Cochrane leads way, but women dominate Canada's Olympic swim team

The gender imbalance on Canada's Olympic swim team is one women can celebrate.

Nineteen women and eight men were named to the team Sunday night to conclude six days of trials at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.

Canada's top contender in the pool is male, however. Distance freestyler Ryan Cochrane of Victoria is a double medal threat.

"I think our women are definitely the strong suit," Cochrane said. "We don't have a lot of quantity on the men's side, but I think we have the quality."

Cochrane leads Canada's 27 swimmers into the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro from Aug. 5 to Aug. 21. Swimming runs Aug. 6-13 at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium.

A top-two result in a trials final combined with racing under an Olympic qualifying time was required to claim a berth to Brazil.

The trials were emotionally draining as some Olympic dreams came true and some were dashed. Successful swimmers consoled disappointed teammates and celebrated their accomplishments simultaneously.

Both the Olympic and Paralympic teams were introduced Sunday. Montreal's Benoit Huot, who will compete in a fifth Paralympics, and rising star Aurelie Rivard of St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., headline the 22-swimmer Paralympic squad.

The 2016 Olympic team ranges in age from 15-year-old swim sensation Penny Oleksiak to 32-year-old Audrey Lacroix heading to her third Summer Games.

The 2012 team numbered 31 — 18 women and 13 men. Canada's three Olympic swim medals in London were won by men.

The women's side is much deeper for Rio, particularly in freestyle speed which bodes well for the relays.

"I don't want to swear right now but I'm so excited about the women's team, by far and away the fastest women's team we've ever had," backstroker Hilary Caldwell said.

"We've got some amazing big hitters and some great relays. On the men's side we've got less, but strong, strong guys."

Cochrane wants 2 medals in Rio

Cochrane is coming off a pair of bronze medals in last year's world championship in Kazan, Russia. The 27-year-old will swim the 400 metres on the first day of swimming at Rio and the 1,500 on the final day.

"I'd ideally like to be on the podium twice this summer," Cochrane said.

To accommodate North American television time zones, the heats will be at 1 p.m. ET and the finals at 10 p.m., ET which is an irregular schedule for swimmers.

The Canadian team was in a rebuild after 2004, when the country was shut out of swim medals in Athens for the first time in four decades. Cochrane won a 1,500 bronze in 2008 followed by a silver in 2012.

Retired swimmer Brent Hayden took bronze in the 100 freestyle and Richard Weinberger of Surrey, B.C., claimed bronze in the open-water swim in London.

Seven men's finals in Toronto didn't produce a Rio swim. Cochrane and freestyle sprinters Santo Condorelli of Kenora, Ont., and Yuri Kisil of Calgary were the only men qualifying in more than one event.

Others to watch in Rio include Weinberger again in the marathon swim and Emily Overholt of West Vancouver, B.C., who was a bronze medallist in the 400 individual medley in Kazan.

Freestyle sprinters Condorelli, Chantal Van Landeghem of Winnipeg and individual medley specialist Sydney Pickrem of Oldsmar, Fla., made the finals there and placed in the top six.

Oleksiak a breakout performer

Oleksiak was the breakout performer at trials. Six foot one and still growing, the Toronto teen broke a world junior and Canadian record in the 100 freestyle. She'll also represent Canada in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle.

"Penny Oleksiak has dropped into the elite level of swimmers with her performances at these Olympic trials," said CBC Sports swimming analyst Byron MacDonald. "It's almost unheard of for a 15-year-old to record swims in the top 5-10 in the world. Penny did that this week.

"She has fast-tracked her plan — it was to maybe get to Rio for experience and be a player in Japan [2020 Olympics]. [You can] move that ahead four years. Penny can go with the best this summer. She has a phenomenal fight in her to get to the wall first, something she probably shares with her brother [Jamie Oleksiak], who plays hockey for the NHL Dallas Stars." 

Family swim ties run through the 2016 edition. Ashton Baumann, the son of former Olympic gold medallist and world-record holder Alex Baumann, will race the 200 breaststroke in Rio.

Women's relay team member Kennedy Goss's father Donald (Sandy) Goss won relay silver in 1984.

Criteria for the Paralympic swim team was different. Swimmers in different classifications raced each other and points were awarded for times. The Rio Paralympics are Sept. 7-18.

The para-swim team won 16 of Canada's 31 medals four years ago in London, including four gold.

Canada's Paralympic medal count has been dropping as more countries compete harder and put more resources into parasport.

Huot won five gold medals in 2004. The 32-year-old pointed out the times he swam in Athens would not have put him on the podium in London.

"Imagine what it's going to be this summer," Huot said. "A medal in Beijing would not be on the podium in Rio.

"The objective is 14 [medals]. Are we going to get the 14? I believe we can."

Canada's Olympic roster

Men

Javier Acevedo, Toronto; Ashton Baumann, Brisbane, Australia; Ryan Cochrane, Victoria; Santo Condorelli, Kenora, Ont.; Yuri Kisil, Calgary; Markus Thormeyer, Markham, Ont.; Evan Van Moerkerke, Tillsonburg, Ont.; Richard Weinberger, Surrey, B.C. 

Women

Dominique Bouchard, North Bay, Ont.; Hilary Caldwell, White Rock, B.C.; Kennedy Goss, Toronto; Audrey Lacroix, Pont-Rouge, Que.; Brittany MacLean, Toronto; Sandrine Mainville, Boucherville, Que.; Kylie Masse, Lasalle, Ont.; Martha McCabe, Toronto; Rachel Nicol, Lethbridge, Alta.; Penny Oleksiak, Toronto; Emily Overholt, West Vancouver, B.C.; Sydney Pickrem, Oldsmar, Fla.; Taylor Ruck, Scottsdale, Az.; Katarine Savard, Pont-Rouge, Que.; Erika Seltenreich-Hodgson, Ottawa; Kierra Smith, Kelowna, B.C.; Noemie Thomas, Richmond, B.C.; Chantal Van Landeghem, Winnipeg; Michelle Williams, Toronto.

Paralympic roster

Morgan Bird, Regina; Isaac Bouckley, Oshawa, Ont.; Nathan Clement, West Vancouver, B.C.; Tammy Cunnington, Red Deer, Alta.; Jonathan Dieleman, Quick, B.C.; Danielle Dorris, Moncton, Ont.; Sabrina Duchesne, Quebec City; Alexander Elliot, Kitchener, Ont.; Devin Gotell, Antigonish, N.S.; Benoit Huot, Montreal; Nydia Langill, Mississauga, Ont.; James Leroux, Repentigny, Que.; Sarah Mehain, Vernon, B.C.; Gordie Michie, St. Thomas, Ont.; Tyler Mrak, Aldergrove, B.C.; Aurelie Rivard, St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que.; Tess Routliffe, Caledon, Ont; Kataina Roxon, Kippens, N.L.; Samantha Ryan, Saskatoon; Nathan Stein, Maple Ridge, B.C.; Abi Tripp, Kingston, Ont.; Nicolas Turbide, Quebec City.