OLYMPICS: McGill swim grad Poon misses medal round in 50 free
LONDON, England - Victoria Poon of LaSalle, Que., was 15th in the women's 50-metre freestyle semifinals, Friday, and did not advance to the medal round at the Summer Olympics. The 24-year-old who competed for the McGill University swim team in 2005-06, was clocked in 25.17 seconds after qualifying in 25.15 during her preliminary heat. Her morning time was just 0.15 seconds off the Canadian record set by Jennifer Beckberger in 2009, before the banning of the high-tech polyurethane swimsuits. The top-16 in the prelims advanced.
Poon's evening time resulted in a sixth-place finish in a heat won by Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands, in 24.50. Teammate Ranomi Kromowidjojo finished atop the other heat in 24.07. The Dutch duo are seeded third and fourth, respectively, for the final, slated for Saturday, when the swimming portion of the Games wraps up. The USA's Jessica Hardy (24.68) and British sprinter Francesca Halsall (24.63) are the top-two seeds.
Poon, who finished 30th in the same event at the Beijing Games after coming down with a bout of chicken pox, is one of two McGill grads that have no competitions remaining in London. She joins beach volleyballer Marie-Andrée Lessard of LaSalle, Que., on the sidelines.
Four McGillians remain in the Games, including rowing grads Doug Vandor of Dewittville, Que., and Derek O'Farrell of Montreal, both of whom will compete in consolation races on Saturday. Vandor is in the C final (4:40 a.m. Eastern) of the men's lightweight double sculls, in a race for 13th place overall. O'Farrell will be in the men's four B final (5:30 a.m.) and can finish no higher than seventh place.
Wrestler Martine Dugrenier, a McGill grad and native of Laval, Que., is scheduled for her inaugural bout in the women's 63 kg weight class on Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. Synchronized swimmer Jo-Annie Fortin, a Montreal native who will enter McGill as a psychology freshman in September, begins her competition on Aug. 9 (10 a.m.).
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
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m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)