Canada's Kylie Masse breaks Commonwealth swim record twice in same day
22-year-old sets new mark in heats, then lowers it in semis
World record-holder Kylie Masse of Canada set a new Commonwealth Games mark in the 100-metre backstroke during Friday's heats, then lowered it in the semifinals later in the day.
The 22-year-old from LaSalle, Ont., just outside Windsor, won her morning heat in 58.70 seconds. That came minutes after Australian Emily Seebohm had lowered her own record to 58.91 in her heat.
Then, in the evening session, Masse beat her own Commonwealth record by swimming 58.66 in her semifinal. Seebohm (58.95) had the second-best overall time in the semis, followed by Canada's Taylor Ruck (1:00.06). Canadian Jane Hannah (1:00.37) also qualified for the final, which goes Saturday at 6:03 a.m. ET.
Masse was looking forward to a head-to-head showdown with Seebohm after they competed in separate heats Friday.
"She's an incredible racer and really talented," Masse said. "It will be a good race."
Ruck will be going for her third medal of the Games after winning Canada's first gold on Thursday, taking the 200-metre freestyle in Commonwealth-record time. She then anchored the women's 4x100 freestyle relay team to a silver performance, capping a three-medal day for Canadian swimmers that also included a silver by Sarah Mehain in the women's S7 50m butterfly.
Markus Thormeyer gave Canada its fourth swimming medal of the Games on Friday by taking bronze in the men's 100m backstroke.
Masse (pronounced Moss) holds the world record at 58.10, set at the 2017 FINA world championships in Budapest when she won gold. She won bronze in the event at the Rio Olympics.
Despite setting the Commonwealth record, Masse saw room for improvement in her semifinal performance Friday.
"I was a little unhappy with my finish there, but it's something to work on moving into the finals," she said.
With files from The Canadian Press