Funk and Block earn tickets to Pan Ams in 100m breast

Second night the pair have been neck and neck

Richard Funk is all smiles after winning the 100 m breaststroke on Thursday night, qualifying for the Pan Am Games in his second event. Courtesy Swimming Canada

Richard Funk and Jason Block qualified to represent Canada at the 2015 Pan Am Games after finishing first and second respectively in the 100m breastroke at the Team Canada Trials on Thursday night.

Funk took gold in the event, posting a 1:00.44 time, just .08 seconds slower than his personal best, to edge out Block who improved by four tenths of a second from his preliminary time on Thursday morning.

The Edmonton Keyano Swim Club member wanted to finish strong to avoid being passed by James Dergousoff in the final 50m like the previous night.

“I couldn’t really see out of my left eye,” said Funk, “so I couldn’t see James at all through the last 50 metres which is where he caught and passed me last night in the 200m.”

“My goggle started to fill up with water a bit off the dive (tonight), so right off the bat I was kind of like, ‘oh man,’ but it was a great swim and to be that close to my best time right now is a great sign for the near future.”

Dergousoff, the CHENA Swim Club member, had a preliminary time just .01 behind Block, so the race was likely to be a close one.

Block was disappointed when he didn’t make the team Wednesday in the men’s 200m breaststroke. Making it on Thursday was a relief.

“Yeah, it’s definitely taken a lot of the pressure off,” said Block,.

In a previous version of this story, incorrect information had Richard Funk not qualifying on Wednesday night for the Pan Am Games when he indeed had. The Observer apologizes for the error. 

About this article

By: Steve Gordon
Posted: Apr 2 2015 8:29 pm
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Filed under: 2015 Pan Am Games 2015 Team Canada Trials Amateur Sports Swimming
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1 Comment on "Funk and Block earn tickets to Pan Ams in 100m breast"

  1. Ollie Currie | April 3, 2015 at 11:05 pm |

    Congratulations on your great performance, keep it up. We are proud of you!!!!!

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