Becomes First Canadian Swimmer to Medal in Three Consecutive Olympic Games
Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ontario, has secured her place in Canadian swimming history by earning her fifth Olympic medal with a bronze in the women’s 200m backstroke final on Friday in Nanterre, France. Masse’s podium finish at the Paris 2024 Olympics makes her the first Canadian swimmer to win an Olympic medal in three consecutive Games.
The 28-year-old swimmer’s journey to bronze was a thrilling race, as she touched the wall first at the 50m mark, then second at 100m, before dropping to fourth at 150m. However, Masse fought back in the final stretch to secure third place.
“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 all about fighting, and I’m really pleased to be on the podium.”
Masse now boasts five career Olympic medals, a remarkable achievement that she reflects on with pride. “It’s an honor,” she said. “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.”
Australia’s McKeown Kaylee claimed gold with an Olympic record time of 2 minutes 3.73 seconds, while American Regan Smith took silver after leading at the 100m and 150m turns.
Masse has been a consistent force in backstroke events at the Olympics, having won bronze in the 100m backstroke in Rio 2016, and silver in both the 100m and 200m backstroke at Tokyo 2021, along with a bronze in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.
“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.”
Close Call for Liendo in Men’s 50m Freestyle
Canadian swimmer Josh Liendo narrowly missed a podium finish in the men’s 50m freestyle event, finishing fourth, just 0.02 seconds behind France’s Florent Manaudou, who claimed bronze. Australia’s Cameron McEvoy took gold, and Great Britain’s Benjamin Proud earned silver.
Later on Friday, Liendo advanced to the men’s 100m butterfly final with the third-best time in the semifinals, while Paris 2024 bronze medallist Ilya Kharun also qualified, finishing sixth.
Summer McIntosh Shines Again
Canada’s Summer McIntosh continued her impressive Olympic performance by qualifying for the women’s 200m individual medley final with the second-best time. This comes after McIntosh already secured two gold medals in the women’s 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley events at Paris 2024. Sydney Pickrem of Halifax also advanced to the final, finishing fifth in her heat.
Marchand Dominates Paris 2024
Meanwhile, French swimmer Leon Marchand capped off an extraordinary Olympic campaign by winning his fourth gold medal in the men’s 200m individual medley. With a time of 1 minute, 54.06 seconds, Marchand set an Olympic record, narrowly missing the world record held by Ryan Lochte. Marchand, who also won gold in the 400 IM, 200 butterfly, and 200 backstroke, has been one of the standout stars of the Paris Games.
With French President Emmanuel Macron among the more than 15,000 fans cheering him on, Marchand celebrated his victory with exuberance, holding up four fingers to signify his four gold medals. The La Defense Arena crowd, in a celebratory mood, chanted, sang, and waved flags as they watched their hometown hero triumph on the world stage.