Kelsey Wog. // Photo from Swimming Canada
Bison swimmer Kelsey Wog qualifies for World Championships
The silver medal time is now second fastest in the world in 2019
As reported by gobisons.ca: At the 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials in Toronto on Wednesday, April 3, Bison swimmer Kelsey Wog qualified for a spot with Team Canada at the 2019 FINA World Championships, racing to a 2:22.82 in the 200-metre breaststroke final.
The time was good for silver in the event, as Sydney Pickrem won the gold narrowly with a 2:22.63. It’s also Wog’s personal best in the 200-metre breaststroke, nearly three seconds better than her U SPORTS record of 2:25.50 set back in February.
Both Pickrem and Wog’s times were under the 2019 FINA “A” standard of 2:25.91 in the 200-metre breaststroke, qualifying them for Team Canada at the 2019 FINA World Championships, which take place in Gwangju, Korea from July 21-28, 2019.
This will be the second time the Agricultural and Food Sciences student-athlete will compete with Team Canada at the senior level, following an appearance at the Pan Pacific Championships last summer. Wog’s time on Wednesday is also under the initial FINA standard for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo (2:25.52), which have yet to be ratified.
Pickrem and Wog didn’t just set new 200-metre breaststroke standards for Canada, though. Their times are now the top two in the world this year, as they both surpass Annie Lazor (USA) who raced a 2:22.99 at the 2019 TSP Des Moines.
The 2019 Canadian Swimming Trials continue through April 7, with Wog also set to compete in the 200-metre individual medley (seeded 2nd), the 50-metre breaststroke (seeded 3rd), the 100-metre breaststroke (seeded 4th), and the 200-metre freestyle (seeded 12th).
Check out the full series of Bison success stories from the 2018-19 season.