Penny Oleksiak wins 100m freestyle at Canadian swim trials

Penny Oleksiak didn't get what she set out for, but felt a sense of relief.

Oleksiak won the women's 100-metre freestyle Friday night at Canada's Olympic and Paralympic swim trials.

The Toronto native's time of 53.66 seconds was over the Olympic qualifying time of 53.61, but under the Olympic consideration time of 53.88.

So while Oleksiak can compete in the women's 4 x 100-metre freestyle relay in Paris, there's no guarantee she'll race individual 100 free there.

WATCH | Oleksiak finishes 1st in women's 100m freestyle:

Athletes with the Olympic consideration times will be invited to compete only if the overall quota of 852 athletes hasn't been reached after accounting for athletes qualified by way of the Olympic qualifying time, relays, and universality.

"I'm excited to go. I'm excited to be part of the team," said Oleksiak, who left the pool deck after her race with a look of disappointment. "I really want that individual spot, so I'm going to do everything I can to secure it.

"It definitely takes some weight off my shoulders knowing that I'm going now."

Each country can enter a maximum of two athletes per individual event with the deadline to go under the qualifying time at an approved World Aquatics competition June 23.

"We'll see, I hope so," Oleksiak said of trying to meet the Olympic standard at another meet.

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Oleksiak's time was her best since the 2022 world championship in Budapest, Hungary, where she finished fourth in 52.98 seconds.

She has dealt with multiple injuries over the last couple of years, including a second knee surgery in that span that she told the CBC she had four months ago.

The 23-year-old holds the Canadian record of 52.59 seconds, which she set in the Tokyo Games in 2021 when she finished fourth.