2017 FINA WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Sunday, July 23rd – Sunday, July 30th
- Budapest, Hungary
- LCM (50m)
- Full Competition Schedule
- Meet Info
- Psych Sheets
- Omega Results
- Pick ’em Contest
- Event-by-Event Previews
After a historic gold medal and world title last night in the women’s 100 back, Canada’s Kylie Masse was back in action on day 4 in the 50 back.
After qualifying 13th overall in the semi-finals in 28.10, Masse lowered her own national record in the semi-finals in a time of 27.64. Her previous record stood at 27.67, set at the 2016 Sette Colli Trophy in Rome.
She narrowly missed the record earlier this year in April at the Canadian World Trials in Victoria, clocking 27.71. She first broke the record at the 2016 Canadian University Championships in Quebec, lowering Brooklyn Snodgrass‘ 2014 mark of 27.97 in 27.84.
Though the 50 proved to be a little short for Masse as she misses the final, her performance in the 100 indicates good things are to come in the 200, which gets underway on day 6.
The 50 back wasn’t Masse’s only event of the day either, as she swam the lead-off leg for Canada in the mixed 4×100 medley relay. Swimming alongside men, including 6 foot 8 American giant Matt Grevers in the lane next to her, the 21-year-old came within 12-one-hundredths of her world record mark (though it wouldn’t have officially counted) in 58.22.
Her teammates, Richard Funk, Penny Oleksiak and Yuri Kisil, all had excellent legs to propel Canada to a tie for the bronze medal with China in a national record of 3:41.25.
James: thank you for contextualizing Kylie’s 50m backstroke performance. Coming off a world record/gold medal performance in the 100m back, many spectators assume that failing to make the 50m back final is shocking. Although I’m sure that she wanted to be in that final, thanks for pointing out that she still went a personal best time/national record in the 50m nonetheless. Great reporting!
27.64 not making the final is crazy!!!