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 Canada's Ryan Cochrane swims in a Men's 1500m Freestyle heat, at the FINA Swimming World Championships, in Rome, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mark J. Terrill |
ROME - Another Canadian women's relay record fell at the world swimming championships Saturday, while Canada's women's water polo team received some disappointing news.
Canada's women's 4x100 medley relay team lowered its own national record and finished sixth. Julia Wilkinson of North York, Ont., Annamay Pierse of Vancouver, Audrey Lacroix of Montreal and Genevieve Saumur of Montreal swam three minutes 57.87 seconds to lower their mark of 3:58.23 they set in the morning preliminaries.
"We left everything in the pool," Wilkinson said. "We have great chemistry. We know we support each other and that's a really great feeling and an important part of our success."
Canadian records fell in all three women's relays in Rome.
The women's water polo players, meanwhile, will remain silver medallists after losing their protest over the gold-medal game. The Canadians were edged 7-6 by the defending champion Americans in Friday's final, but protested afterward over an incident in the second quarter.
FINA's technical water committee deliberated late into Friday evening and early Saturday morning before denying Canada's appeal.
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"We are obviously disappointed, there were definite issues, I can't say we agree at all," Water Polo Canada's executive director Ahmed El-Awadi said in a statement.
With the U.S. leading 5-4 in the second quarter, American Elsie Windes hit Canadian captain Krystina Alogbo in the face.
Windes was ejected. But the Canadians were frustrated that she was given a penalty for violence and not the more serious call of brutality, which would have given Canada a four-minute, man-advantage and a penalty shot.
"Although we protested this does not mean we will not be celebrating this achievement," El-Awadi said. "This is a very proud moment for water polo in Canada. This group of athletes could have easily walked away after not qualifying for 2008 Beijing Olympics. They stayed and committed back to the program, trained through the Olympics and represented us in Rome with class and dignity.
"They gave Canada a silver medal. We are so very proud."
Reason advanced to Sunday's 50-metre breaststroke final with the fourth-fastest time in semis of 30.42. The 15-year-old holds the world record in the event at 30.23 set three weeks ago at the world championship trials in Montreal.
"I feel really great," Reason said. "I'm happy to position myself for a really good lane for the final. I held my race together and I just have to do that again."
Pierse, who broke the world record and won the silver medal here in the 200 breaststroke, qualified for the final in dramatic fashion. She was forced to swim a race-off after finishing tied for eighth with Valentina Artemyeva in the semis. Pierse won in 30.98, edging the Russian by one-hundredth of a second.
"She is the only one to reach all three women's breaststroke finals this week," said Pierre Lafontaine, Swimming Canada's CEO and national coach. "It's pretty spectacular."
Sarah Katsoulis of Australia was the top semifinalist in 30.33.
Poon broke her Canadian record in the 50 freestyle semis, swimming 24.75, the first sub 25 second time by a Canadian. She was 13th overall and did not advance.
Olympic bronze medallist Ryan Cochrane of Victoria cruised to the third fastest time in the men's 1,500 freestyle preliminaries, clocking 14 minutes and 56.56 seconds to move on to Sunday's final. He's chasing his second medal of the competition after earning the bronze earlier this week in the 800 freestyle.
"It was a bit slower than I expected but I reached my goal by making the final," Cochrane said. "I've done a lot racing here this week and it's a new experience. But I think it'll be fine as everyone did the same so they'll be just as ready as I am.
"The final will be more about racing than time. As long as I can race well I can be on the podium again."
Yang Sun of China was the top qualifier in 14:54.54 and Olympic champion Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia was second in 14:54.56.