Canadian Kylie Masse posted the second-fastest overall time in the women’s 100-metre backstroke semifinals on Sunday night, earning her chance at a trip to the Tokyo podium on Monday.
Masse won her heat with a time of 58.09 seconds, narrowly edging out Australians Kaylee McKeown and Emily Seebohm.
By qualifying, Masse continues a stellar run of aquatic performances for Canada at these Games.
Earlier in the night, Maggie Mac Neil won the country its first gold medal in the women’s 100-metre butterfly. Not long after, Summer McIntosh, at only 14 years old, finished fourth and broke her own Canadian record in the women’s 400-metre freestyle.
On the men’s side, led by 37-year-old Brent Hayden, who had announced his retirement nearly a decade ago but decided to compete in these Games, Canada came up just short of the podium in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay, finishing fourth.
Despite failing to medal, the 4×100-metre team of Hayden, Joshua Liendo, Yuri Kisil and Markus Thormeyer set a Canadian record, finishing with a time of 3:10.82
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