GOLDEN BUTTERFLY
Mac Neil snags Canada's first gold, after earning silver in 4x100m relay
Maggie Mac Neil, from London, Ont., won Canada's first gold early Monday with a win in the women's 100-metre butterfly at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Over the weekend, Mac Neil and teammates Rebecca Smith, Kayla Sanchez and Penny Oleksiak won silver in the women's 4x100 freestyle relay, while synchronized divers Jennifer Abel and Melissa Citrini-beaulieu secured a second silver for the country.
In the weeks leading up to the Tokyo Olympics, the confidence expressed by Swimming Canada officials was decidedly quiet and almost deliberately so.
The lack of competition for the Canadian team over the previous 18 months was a concern, we were told, as was the weighty expectations to follow up a breakout six-medal performance at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
But from the athletes themselves, the belief never wavered that they were putting down roots as one of the world powers in the all-important Summer Games discipline.
And after a rousing start to the Tokyo meet, it is becoming apparent that a Canadian entry in an Olympic final definitely means business.
A killer closing kick from London, Ont.'s breaststroke beast Maggie Mac Neil on Sunday resulted in Canada's first gold medal of the Games, and followed up the silver medal from the 4 x 100-metre women's relay team the previous day.
Now it's impossible not to expect that the Canadian pool party is just getting started and may be even more prolific than the Rio version five years ago.
“Honestly, we are already one of the most dominant countries in the world in swimming,” the most decorated of those women, Penny Oleksiak told me recently. “And all the girls are working so hard every single day. I'm really excited to see these specific girls make a mark on the world again.”
Just two nights of medal races in and that mark is starting to be written in bold. The medal count continues to pile up after the six podium visits in Brazil it is up to eight under the bold new Swimming Canada regime. And all that after just three medals combined in the two previous Games.
Sure the Aussies are still dominant in many events and the U.S. continues to forge on despite the retirement of the most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time, Michael Phelps. But the Canadian mindset is that they belong and that once unleashed from the blocks, they are ready to show it.
Mac Neil embodies that attitude as much as Oleksiak. Two medal races at the Olympics have resulted in medals — gold from Sunday's tour de force and silver after swimming the second leg in the relay.
Seventh at the turn on Sunday she blitzed home just like Oleksiak did the previous night, showing the huge closing kick with a medal on the line. It is clear to those paying attention that the taste of success is spreading throughout the group.
Less than an hour after Mac Neil's golden effort, the future star of Canadian swimming, Summer Mcintosh was fourth in her Olympic debut, only letting the podium slip away in the final length of the 400-metre freestyle. It was a sensational effort in her first major international event and will only further the positivity surrounding the team.
There isn't anyone associated with the Canadian Olympic movement that doesn't expect Mcintosh to be a star for years to come.
And later on the program, the men's 4 x 100-metre freestyle relay team just missed the podium with a stunning fourth-place effort. That placing was the first tangible result to indicate that the Canadian men are serving notice they intend to join their female teammates.
The relay women capturing silver on the opening night of medal race and doing it in such thrilling fashion, clearly ignited the winning vibe from a close-knit and confident team.
“The first medal they win is a relay and you see how that brings the team together,” said Own the Podium CEO Anne Merklinger,
Honestly, we are already one of the most dominant countries in the world in swimming.
whose group has targeted Swimming Canada as a focus for medal pursuit. “It strengthens the team culture. What they are doing is inspiring our next generation of swimmers everywhere. The whole team benefits from great results.”
Prior to the Olympic meet, Swimming Canada officials were quietly hoping for 4-6 medals in Tokyo, but early on that is looking like a conservative estimate. The six Canadian medals mined in Rio was the most in decades but as impressive as it was, the focus was always on Tokyo as the destination for the results to show strongest.
It's happening as we speak as the winning culture is firmly in place. And the bigger the splash, the more powerful the wake, apparently.
“Once you get that ball rolling, it kind of becomes infectious,” said Brent Hayden, the 37-year-old freestyler who is competing in his fourth Games.
“More and more athletes get onto the team, especially a team that's winning, then they don't want to just be there along for the ride. They want to be there for winning, too.”