(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
(Courtesy Swimming Canada/Ian MacNicol)
VIA THE SWIMMING CANADA RELEASE POSTED AT 9AM, JULY 25TH:
Canada’s open water team achieved its goal of a top-12 finish in Thursday’s 5-kilometre team event at the FINA World Championships in Barcelona.
The team of Philippe Guertin, Eric Hedlin and Zsofi Balazs crossed the finish line at Moll de la Fusta in 57:13.7, good for 12th in the race.
“It’s a hard race because we’re a new team,” said Balazs.
All three swimmers had to finish, with the team’s time based on the last person to cross the line. Balazs, who also swam the team event at the 2011 worlds in Shanghai, was the only Canadian with experience. She viewed the race as a learning experience for the team.
“It’s always really hard to figure out what works best,” said the 23-year-old Torontonian.
The 12th-place result earned Canada a point in the open water team championships trophy race. With 27 points overall, Canada sits in seventh place, two ahead of Australia.
“We got a point, that was the goal,” Guertin said.