LaSalle’s Masse sets Canadian record
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY Kylie Masse of LaSalle is ranked No. 1 in the world in women’s 100-metre backstroke. She showed why on Monday, recording the fastest time of the day at the world swimming championships to book a spot in Tuesday’s final.
Her time of 58.18 seconds — a new Canadian record — was just .06 seconds shy of the world record set by Britain’s Gemma Spofforth in 2009.
“Every opportunity I get to race, I give it my all because you never know. I think it didn’t matter if it was prelims, semis or finals, I was just going to try my best. That’s really all I had in mind,” Masse, 21, said in a release. “I’m happy with a best time, but being on top of the podium would be cool. I think one of my strong qualities in swimming is my back-end speed, so honestly I think if I still go out the same 50 (metres) speed and just really work on my last 50 and the last 15 leading into the wall it will help.”
Masse won a bronze medal in the event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and silver at the 2016 world short course championships in Windsor.
Hilary Caldwell of White Rock, B.C., finished 12th in 1:00.29 in the event. Caldwell also specializes in the 200-metre event, winning bronze at the 2016 Olympics. Competition over that distance begins Friday.
Canadian Kierra Smith, of Kelowna, B.C., qualified for the 100-metre breaststroke final in a time of 1:06.62, tying her for sixth overall. Rachel Nicol of Lethbridge, Alta., was 10th in 1:07.03.
“I’m so excited,” said Smith, 23, who specializes in the 200-metre race. “I’m really happy that the speed is getting there and I’m getting stronger.”
Penny Oleksiak — Canada’s 17-year-old swimming sensation who took home four medals at the Rio Olympics — just missed out on her first medal of this competition, finishing fourth in the women’s 100-metre butterfly in 56.94. She won silver in Rio with a world junior record of 56.46.
“I’m pretty happy with the race. I know there’s stuff I can fix going forward,” Oleksiak said in a release. “I’m not disappointed, this year’s been kind of tough with injuries and everything. It’s definitely not the best year I could’ve had, but considering the fact I could still come fourth at worlds I’m pretty happy.”
Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom, the reigning Olympic champion, won her third-straight world title in the event, finishing in 55.53.
The biggest cheers of the day were reserved for Hungary’s Iron Lady, Katinka Hosszu.
Living up to her country’s enormous expectations, she swam to an electrifying victory in the 200-metre individual medley, spurred on by a flag-waving, foot-stomping crowd at Duna Arena.
She led from start to finish in the race encompassing all four strokes, finishing off with the freestyle in a time of two minutes, 7.00 seconds. It was nearly a second slower than her world-record performance at the Rio Olympics last summer but enough to hold off hard-charging Yui Ohashi of Japan, who settled for silver in 2:07.91. The bronze went to Madisyn Cox of the United States in 2:09.71, just ahead of teammate Melanie Margalis.
Canada’s Sydney Pickrem was unable to finish the race after the first turn. Swimming Canada said Pickrem had to leave after she “took on water.”
After touching the wall, Hosszu pounded the water, stuck out her tongue and climbed atop a lane rope to acknowledge the raucous crowd. Her husband and coach, Shane Tusup, pumped his fists and led out a guttural scream.
I think it didn’t matter if it was prelims, semis or finals, I was just going to try my best. That’s really all I had in mind.
Hosszu popped out of the water and ran around the deck to embrace Tusup, who handed her a red cap emblazoned with the nickname she received a few years ago for her gruelling repertoire of events — Iron Lady.
Hosszu wasn’t the only big name in the pool on the second night of swimming. Britain’s Adam Peaty romped to victory in the 100-metre breaststroke, while American Katie Ledecky — who won two gold medals on Sunday — breezed through the morning preliminaries of the 1,500 freestyle in 15:47.57 — nearly 18 seconds faster than the second-fastest qualifier, Mireia Belmonte of Spain. The final is Tuesday night.
“It felt good,” Ledecky said. “I know how to manage the schedule. I just kind of have to work through the prelims as easy as I can to keep myself rested.”