University of Toronto Varsity Blues alumna Kylie Masse was one of six swimmers nominated to Canada's Tokyo 2020 Olympic team on Friday, following the shift in both the dates and format of the upcoming Olympic Trials.
 
The 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time world champion has been nominated in both her signature 100-metre backstroke as well as the 200-metre race.
 
"This is a direct result of the pandemic throwing a monkey wrench into everyone in Canada's Olympic preparation," said Varsity Blues head coach Byron MacDonald. "With the Trials now delayed until closer to the Games, the decision was made to name some of the top swimmers to the Olympic team now so they could begin their Olympic preparation in earnest. It is an excellent decision."
 
Masse, along with fellow 2019 world championship medalists Maggie MacNeil and Sydney Pickrem have been nominated by Swimming Canada to the Canadian Olympic team, as have Penny Oleksiak, Taylor Ruck and Markus Thormeyer, all of whom made an individual final in Gwangju.
 
"I'm super grateful and thankful to be nominated," said Masse. "And moving forward, it just allows us more flexibility with our training. It kind of takes that pressure off. It just gives us a little more time to train and try and be the best we possibly can at the end of the summer."
 
During her time with the Blues, the LaSalle, Ont., native went undefeated at five consecutive OUA championships, never losing an individual or relay race. The five-time OUA female swimmer of the year, five time OUA first team all-star and the 2015 OUA female rookie of the year also twice won the Dr. Jeno Tihanyi award for individual medley excellence and earned major grand slams in all three backstroke events.
 
On the national stage, Masse earned the grand slam award for four career victories in the backstroke events and was named the U SPORTS female swimmer of the year from 2016-19. Masse's international highlights while at U of T include a bronze-medal finish in the 100 backstroke at the 2016 Olympic Games, as well as breaking the world record en-route to a gold-medal finish at the 2017 FINA world championships.
 
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Trials have been move to May 24-28, and an invitational meet will follow June 21-23, with the remaining nominations to be made after both events.