Canada advances to women's 4x200m freestyle relay final at World Aquatics Championships
Canadian swimmers Kelsey Wog, Hugh McNeill qualify for semifinals in Japan
Canada's swim team secured another medal opportunity at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday in Fukuoka, Japan, with the women's 4x200-metre freestyle relay squad advancing to the final.
Ella Jansen, Emma O'Croinin, Brooklyn Douthwright and Katerine Savard finished third in the second and final heat with a time of seven minutes 54.73 seconds, the sixth-fastest out of 18 teams. The top eight advanced to the final, which is scheduled for Thursday at 8:45 a.m. ET at the Marine Messe Fukuoka.
Jansen gave the Canadians a strong start, while the veteran Savard brought it home on the anchor leg to book their spot in the final. Savard, 30, won bronze in the event at last year's worlds and the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
The Americans posted the fastest time on Thursday (7:46.36), followed by defending champion Australia (7:47.84) and Great Britain (7:51.13).
WATCH | Replay of Day 5 swimming prelims:
McNeill, Wog qualify for semifinals
Hugh McNeill, making his worlds debut, got things started for Canada in the morning by advancing to the men's 200m backstroke semifinals.
The Langley, B.C., native finished strong to win the penultimate third heat, pulling away over the final 50 metres to touch the wall in 1:57.73, good for seventh-best out of the 16 qualifiers.
McNeill will compete in the semis on Thursday at 8:33 a.m. ET, with the final scheduled for Friday at 7:59 a.m. ET.
Wog, who made her Olympic debut in Tokyo, will look to advance on Thursday at 8:19 a.m. ET. The final is set for Friday at 7:49 a.m. ET.
Fellow Canadian Brayden Taivassalo, also competing at his first worlds, failed to reach the men's 200m breaststroke semis after placing ninth in the fourth of five heats. The 18-year-old from Newmarket, Ont., posted a time of 2:13.81 to finish 30th out of 43 competitors.
Michael Foisy became the first man to represent Canada in high diving at the world championships later in the day, finishing 19th out of 23 divers with 236.50 points in the 27m competition.
Romania's Constantin Popovici (472.80) and Cătălin-Petru Preda (438.45) won gold and silver, respectively, while France's Gary Hunt claimed bronze with 490.10.
WATCH | #TheMoment Canadians make history with high diving medals:
Along with the relay team, three other Canadian swimmers will compete for medals during the evening session in Fukuoka.
Sixteen-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh will try to retain her world title in the women's 200m butterfly final on Thursday at 7:02 a.m. ET, while Kylie Masse will defend her crown in the women's 50m backstroke final at 7:36 a.m. ET, which also features Canada's Ingrid Wilm.
WATCH | McIntosh swims to bronze in women's 200m freestyle:
