Knox wins men’s 200 medley at world championships

Finlay Knox is looking at his world title as another step forward toward competing with the fastest swimmers in the pool,

Knox of Okotoks, Alta., won Canada’s second gold medal of the 2024 world aquatics championships Thursday with a victory in the men’s 200-metre medley.

The 23-year-old finished in a Canadian-record time of one minute 56.64 seconds.

Knox, who was third heading into the final 50 metres, fended off a challenge from American Carson Foster, who finished 0.33 seconds behind the Canadian (1:56.97).

“It feels incredible obviously now having the world champion under my name,” said the 23-yearold Olympian. “For me, it’s just another step forward. I’m very happy to be in the spotlight tonight but in the back of my mind I know there are some faster swimmers out there which keeps me hungry.”

The medley has swimmers use four strokes over the course of a race - butterfly, then backstroke, followed by breaststroke and freestyle. Knox said the key was to stay in the mix when having to use his slower strokes.

“Historically, I’m pretty slow in the backstroke, and as I’ve gotten older the breaststroke has been a little bit of a struggle as well,” Knox said. “So just making sure I’m strong through that, and then the last 50 everyone knows you just have to dig deep and go for it.”

Italy’s Alberto Razzetti was third (1:57.42).

The medal is Knox’s first in an individual race at the senior level.

Montreal’s Jacqueline Simoneau won Canada’s other gold medal in Doha in last week’s solo free artistic swimming event.