Canada's Kylie Masse earns 5th career Olympic medal with women's 200m backstroke bronze
LaSalle, Ont., native becomes 1st Canadian swimmer to win medal in 3 straight Games
Just like in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021, Kylie Masse found her way to the podium in Paris 2024.
The LaSalle, Ont., native earned the bronze medal in the women's 200-metre backstroke final on Friday in Paris, becoming the first Canadian swimmer to win an individual Olympic medal in three consecutive non-boycotted Games.
It was a roller coaster ride for the 28-year-old Canadian, who touched the wall first in the 50m mark, then second in the 100m before dropping to fourth in the 150m.
"I knew tonight's race was going to be difficult, and I knew I was going to have to fight to the very end," Masse said. "Those final metres were fighting, for sure. I'm really pleased to be on the podium."
WATCH l Masse wins 5th-career Olympic medal:
In the end, her third-place finish meant she now boasts five career Olympic medals — and a place in Canadian swimming history.
"It's an honour," Masse said about being the first female Canadian swimmer to win a medal in three straight Olympic Games.
"It was a goal coming in, to get back on the podium and try to be consistent across the Olympics I've attended and to be part of history."
While Masse is the first Canadian to collect individual swimming medals in three consecutive Games, Tom Ponting was part of the Canadian 4x100m medley relay teams that won silver in Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988, and bronze in Barcelona 1992. In Barcelona, he only competed in the preliminary heats.
WATCH l Masse is presented with her bronze medal:
Kaylee McKeown of Australia swam an Olympic record time of two minutes 3.73 seconds for gold. She took first place in the final 50m. American Regan Smith, who led at the 100m and 150m turns, settled for silver.
McKeown also won the 100m backstroke title on Tuesday, in an event Masse finished fourth. "I was a little bit disappointed after my 100m. It stings a bit being just off the podium," said Masse.
Masse won bronze in the 100m backstroke in Rio in 2016.
She rose to the podium as the silver medallist in the 100m and 200m backstroke events in Tokyo 2021, also earning bronze in the women's 4x100m team medley.
"I'm motivated by my competitors," said Masse. "By wanting to learn and be better. If you want that, put in the work, stay dedicated and true to what you're doing, it's easier to have longevity."
McKeown completes 'double-double'
McKeown, who also won the 100m and 200m titles in Tokyo 2021, joined a select group of swimmers with four Olympic gold medals in individual events and is the first Australian athlete in any sport to win four.
The Olympic women's backstroke has witnessed a procession of outstanding swimmers including Krisztina Egerszegi and Missy Franklin since the 200m joined the 100m event at the 1968 Olympics.
But the improbable "double-double" eluded all of them until now.
McKeown is the second swimmer to pull it off and the first in more than 50 years, with Roland Matthes, the East German "Rolls Royce," going back-to-back in both events in 1968-1972.
Canada's Liendo just shy of podium
Josh Liendo's fairytale story almost came true in the men's 50m freestyle event on Friday.
After qualifying for the final with the ninth-best time after one of the top-eight swimmers pulled out of going for gold, the 21-year-old Toronto native finished just shy of the podium.
Liendo came in fourth in the final, just 0.02 seconds behind bronze medallist Florent Manaudou of France. Cameron McEvoy of Australia earned gold. Benjamin Proud of Great Britain took silver.
WATCH | Liendo nearly makes men's 50m podium:
Later on Friday, Liendo advanced to the men's 100m butterfly medal event with the third-best time in the semifinals. Paris 2024 bronze medallist Ilya Kharun came in sixth and also moved on to the final.
Canadian 17-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh qualified with the second-best time in the women's 200m individual. Sydney Pickrem of Halifax also advanced, finishing fifth.
Those events are set for Saturday. Medal rounds start at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Canadian men's and women's 4x200m medley relay teams are competing in the events semifinals at 6:46 a.m. ET.
Marchand completes dominating run
Leon Marchand held up four fingers. One for every gold medal at the Paris Olympics. And now, his dominating run through the Summer Games is complete.
With French President Emmanuel Macron among the more than 15,000 fans cheering him on in person, Marchand captured his fourth swimming gold with another runaway victory in the 200m individual medley.
Britain's Duncan Scott won the silver, more than a second behind Marchand, while China's defending champion Wang Shun took the bronze. Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., was eighth.
The 22-year-old French star left no doubt he'll be remembered as one of the biggest stars of the Summer Games in his home country. He finished in an Olympic record of 1:54.06 seconds, just missing Ryan Lochte's 13-year-old world mark.
"It was my last individual final so I said to myself, I really have to enjoy it," Marchand told reporters. "I had a lot more energy than yesterday so I felt better, more relaxed.
"And I really wanted to have fun in my last final and it happened, so it was huge."
A packed house at La Defense Arena came to party one more night with their favourite son. They chanted, sang "Sweet Caroline," waved the French flag and unveiled a huge tifo in the upper deck.
Marchand climbed from the pool, pumped his fists, then held out his arms as if to say, "What more could you want?"
He had done it all.
WATCH l McIntosh wins women's 200m butterfly title:
With files from The Associated Press and Reuters
