Canada added another swimming medal today as Kylie Masse just barely made the podium in the women’s 200m backstroke.
Masse managed to secure the bronze medal, beating out American Phoebe Bacon by just 0.04 seconds. It was as tight of an ending as you can get as Masse just extended to touch the wall ahead of Bacon.
It’s Masse’s fifth Olympic medal of her career and first of these games so far. She made her debut at the Rio 2016 Olympics where she also won a bronze. She added another two silver medals and a bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Four of Masse’s five Olympic medals have come in the backstroke where she is one of the best in the world. Her other medal was in the 4x100m individual medley at the Tokyo Games.
🥉Médaille🥉
Quel fin de course! Kylie Masse 🇨🇦 remporte la médaille de bronze au 200 m dos chez les femmes! 🏊 #Paris2024 #RCsports #jeuxolympiques #natation pic.twitter.com/7YGUHo0hCe
— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) August 2, 2024
The Canadian jumped out to a hot start and was leading at the 50 metre mark. The competition caught up over the second half of the race and at one point Masse was no longer in a medal spot.
However, the Canadian showed off her strength and resolve to take back third place and earn a well-deserved bronze medal. She beat out Bacon by the slimmest of margins to secure another medal for Canada.
Canada has now won 11 medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics including three golds, two silvers and six bronzes. Five of their podium finishes have come in the pool where 17-year-old Summer McIntosh has been leading the way.
Masse’s five swimming medals are the second most by any Canadian ever, trailing only Penny Oleksiak who has seven.