OTTAWA – Clement Secchi collected six gold medals and broke three conference records, while Daphne Danyluk won five golds as the McGill University varsity swim program pulled off a rare triple crown by winning all three RSEQ championship banners for a second consecutive season over the weekend in the nation's capital.

The Redbirds and Martlets each finished atop their respective men's and women's divisions, in addition to capturing the combined banner, which includes the total points scored by both genders. It was only the third time that a university has swept the three titles in successive seasons since the Quebec league initiated a combined championship in 1989. The last time that it occurred was in 2014 and 2015 when Laval performed the feat. Prior to that, the Montreal Carabins pulled off back-to-back triple crowns in 2008 and 2009.

Secchi, a 5-foot-11 native of Aix-en-Provence, in France, was named athlete of the meet and swimmer of the year. The 21-year-old management senior finished first in the 50, 100 and 200 butterflys. He also took the 400 freestyle and was part of the winning 4x50 medley relay and the 4x200 freestyle relay. His RSEQ record times were established in the 50 fly (23.69), the 200 fly (1:55.80) and the 4x50 MR (1:38.42). Secchi also broke four McGill records, including the 400 freestyle (3:48.20).

Danyluk, a 5-foot-9 sprinter from Rivière-des-Prairies, Que., was also named athlete of the meet and swimmer of the year.  The 23-year-old anatomy and biology junior swept all three backstroke titles (50, 100, 200) and anchored two winning relays (4x100 MR, 4x100 FR). She also bagged a silver in the 4x50 medley relay.

Also winning a major conference award was Elizabeth Ling, a 19-year-old civil engineering sophomore from Calgary, who dominated the season and was named as the RSEQ female rookie of the year.

"What I am really proud of is the way the team battled all the way through the last two years," said Peter Carpenter, who was named as the conference coach of the year, on both the women's side and the men's. "Winning when you are favoured is tough but carrying the weight of the target on your back builds character and I am really proud to coach a group that has that much character and that is a testament the leadership group we have.
 
"We are excited about the win but also know that we have bigger fish to fry in three weeks when we have our chance at Nationals with 34 swimmers who have qualified."

The total number of qualifiers is the highest in school history and includes 18 men, along with 16 women.

The McGill women broke three school records en route to racking up 26 medals, including 13 gold in the finals of 21 races. They added seven silvers and six bronzes.

The men rewrote five team records and three Quebec conference marks. They won 10 of 21 races, in addition to a half-dozen silvers and six more bronzes.

All of the gold medalists automatically merited RSEQ first-team all-star status, while silver medalists earn second-team honours. The Martlets also had 11 all-stars, including nine on the first team. The Redbirds had 10 all-stars, with eight on the first team (see list below).

The swim season will conclude at the U SPORTS national championships in Quebec City, March 24-26.

LIVE MEET RESULTS

COMPLETE RESULTS (PDF)

2022 RSEQ SWIM CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS
(NOTE: The season totals listed below are the scores based off the percentages of points awarded at each meet (35% for the three Quebec Cup meets and 65% for the championship)

WOMEN (meet points / season totals):
1. McGill 872 / 754.4
2. Ottawa 762 / 588.3
3. Laval 374.5 / 307.5
4. Montreal 353 / 306.1
5. Sherbrooke 165.5 / 121.9
6. UQTR 63 / 42.9

MEN (meet points / season totals):
1. McGill 899 / 720.5
2. Ottawa 762 / 604.7
3. Laval 554 / 488.1
4. Montreal 260 / 226.4
5. Sherbrooke 118 / 86.6

COMBINED (M & W) (meet points / season totals):
1. McGill 1,771 / 1,474.8
2. Ottawa 1,524 / 1,193
3. Laval 928.5 / 795.6
4. Montreal 613 / 532.5
5. Sherbrooke 283.5 / 208.5
6. UQTR 63 / 42.9

RSEQ MAJOR AWARD WINNERS:

ATHLETE OF THE MEET
F: Daphne Danyluk, McGill
M: Clement Secchi, McGill

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
F: Elizabeth Ling, McGill
M: Arthur Millet, Laval

SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
F: Daphne Danyluk, McGill
M: Clement Secchi, McGill

COACH OF THE YEAR
F: Peter Carpenter, McGill
M: Peter Carpenter, McGill

LEADERSHIP AWARD
F: Malorie Kanaan, Ottawa
M: Vincent Laperle, Montreal

RSEQ ALL-STARS (W)

FIRST TEAM (gold medalists)
Daphne Danyluk, McGill
Elizabeth Ling, McGill
Greta Zapparoli, McGill
Mia Desjarlais, McGill
Isabel Sarty, McGill
Erin Miller, McGill
Nikki van Noord, McGill
Cailin McMurray, McGill
Marion Synishin, McGill
Anais Arlandis, Montréal
Tatyanna Goyette, Montréal
Charlotte Beauchemin, Montréal
Mélanie Gagné, Montréal
Adelle Yamashita-Ball, Ottawa
Lauren Shearer, Ottawa

SECOND TEAM (silver medalists)

Maiya Dalton, Ottawa
Rachel Mcinnes, Ottawa
Margaret Quinn, Ottawa
Amy Meharg, Ottawa
Kate Nielson, Ottawa
Taylor Elliott, Ottawa
Katie Polley, Ottawa
Morgane Shuster, Ottawa
Shaunna Walker-Dejong, Ottawa
Axelle Cara, Laval
Rosalie Carrière, Laval
Alice Ponsardin, Laval
Morgane Dornic, Laval
Carolane Roch, Laval
Carley Dove-McFalls, McGill
Naomie Lo, McGill


RSEQ ALL-STARS (M)

FIRST TEAM (gold medalists)
Clement Secchi, McGill
Pablo Collin, McGill
Bruno Dehem-Lemelin, McGill
Hazem Issa, McGill
Brian Yu, McGill
Malachy Belkhelladi, McGill
John Martin, McGill
Samuel Wang, McGill
Hugo Lemesle, Ottawa
Alexandre Perreault, Ottawa
Nathan Schiffmann, Ottawa
William Barrett, Ottawa
Ryan Jensen, Ottawa
Allen Zheng, Ottawa
Brendan Van Herk, Ottawa
Mehdi Ayoubi, Laval
Arthur Millet, Laval
Driss Lahrichi, Laval
Vincent Laperle, Montréal

SECOND TEAM (silver medalists)
Louis Bertrand, Ottawa
Noah Wagner, Ottawa
Evan Aguiar-Winter, Ottawa
Colin Shearer, Ottawa
Thomas Boyd, Ottawa
Erik Linseisen, McGill
Romain Vanmoen, McGill
Nathan Beaudin-Bolduc, Laval
Ambroise Petit, Laval

==============================================

McGILL HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY 3

400 Freestyle

Women:
SILVER: Naomie Lo (4:21.92)
BRONZE: Mia Desjarlais (4:22.38)
 
400m Freestyle

Men:
GOLD: Clement Secchi (3:48.20) (team record)
 
200m Breaststroke

Men:
SILVER: Erik Linseisen (2:16.08)
 
100m Butterfly

Women:
SILVER: Cailin McMurray (1:02.87)
 
Men:
GOLD: Clement Secchi (52.13)
BRONZE: Samuel Wang (55.86)
 
50m Backstroke

Women:
GOLD: Daphne Danyluk (28.62)
 
200m Individual Medley

Women:
GOLD: Greta Zapparoli (2:20.31)
SILVER: Nikki Van Noord (2:20.35)
 
Men:
SILVER: Erik Linseisen (2:03.83)
 
100m Freestyle

Women:
GOLD: Elizabeth Ling (55.71)
BRONZE: Isabel Sarty (56.81)
 
Men:
SILVER: Pablo Collin (49.80)
BRONZE: Malachy Belkhelladi (50.38)
 
50m Breaststroke

Women:
BRONZE: Marion Synishin (33.42)
 
Men:
GOLD: Brian Yu (27.86)
 
200m Backstroke

Women:
GOLD: Daphne Danyluk (2:09.65)
SILVER: Carley Dove-McFalls (2:14.60)
 
4x200m freestyle relay

Women:
GOLD: Elizabeth Ling, Erin Miller, Mia Desjarlais, Isabel Sarty (8:19.96)
 
Men:
GOLD: Clement Secchi, Bruno Dehem-Lemelin, John Martin, Pablo Collin (7:22.32)

=========================================================================

McGILL HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY 2

4x50m Medley Relay

Women:
SILVER (1:53.74): Daphne Danyluk, Elizabeth Ling, Cailin McMurray, Greta Zapparoli (team record).

Men:
GOLD (1:38.42): Clement Secchi, Brian Yu, Samuel Wang, Hazem Issa  (team and RSEQ record).
 
400m Individual Medley

Women:
GOLD: Mia Desjarlais (4:54.16)

Men:
SILVER: John Martin (4:23.78) (McGill's 18th male qualifier for U SPORTS championship). 
BRONZE: Erik Linseisen (4:24.96)
 
50m freestyle

Women:
GOLD: Elizabeth Ling (25.43)
SILVER: Greta Zapparoli (26.23)

Men:
SILVER: Pablo Collin (23.02)
BRONZE: Brian Yu (23.08)
 
200m butterfly

Women:
GOLD: Erin Miller (2:18.78)
BRONZE: Cailin McMurray (2:20.04)

Men:
GOLD: Clement Secchi (1:55.80) (team and RSEQ record)
 
100m backstroke

Women:
GOLD: Daphne Danyluk (1:00.50)
BRONZE: Nikki van Noord (1:03.58)
 
100m breaststroke

Women:
SILVER: Elizabeth Ling (1:09.88) (team record)

Men:
BRONZE: Brian Yu (1:02.09) (team record)
 
200m freestyle

Men:
GOLD: Pablo Collin (1:48.61)
 
50m butterfly

Women:
BRONZE: Cailin McMurray (28.27)

Men:
GOLD: Clement Secchi (23.69) (team and RSEQ record)
 
4x100m freestyle relay

Women:
GOLD: (3:50.65): Greta Zapparoli, Daphne Danyluk, Nikki van Noord, Isabel Sarty

Men:
GOLD (3:20.38): Malachy Belkhelladi, Bruno Dehem-Lemelin, Pablo Collin, Hazem Issa
 
=========================================================================

McGILL HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY 1

4x50m Freestyle

Women:
GOLD: (1:43.94): Elizabeth Ling, Greta Zapparoli, Nikki van Noord and Cailin McMurray. (NOTE: Ling's time in the leadoff spot was a team record (25.42).
 
800m Freestyle

Women:
GOLD: Mia Desjarlais (8:53.08) (NOTE:  Clare Sanderson , who finished fifth in 8:59.49, became McGill's 16th female qualifier for Nationals)

4x100 Medley Relay

Women:
GOLD: (4:11.13): Daphne Danyluk, Marion Synishin, Erin Miller, Isabel Sarty.  

4x50 Freestyle Relay

Men:
GOLD: (1:31.83) Karim Elhoshy, Bruno Dehem-Lemelin, Hazem Issa, Malachy Belkhelladi.
BRONZE: (1:33.87): Charles Morse, John Martin, Matthew Wittmann, William Hein.
 
4x100 Medley Relay

Men:
SILVER: (3:42.03): Romain Vanmoen, Brian Yu, Samuel Wang, Malachy Belkhelladi.


SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca