Ingrid Wilm leads Canadian podium charge at Mare Nostrum Swim Tour in Barcelona

Calgary's Ingrid Wilm is quickly emerging as a new swimming powerhouse for Canada. 

The backstroke specialist won her fourth medal at the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour, capturing gold in the 100-metre back Thursday in Barcelona by finishing in one minute and two-hundredths of a second.

The 22-year-old also won gold on Wednesday, posting a fastest time of 27.76 in the 50m back. Wilm also won silver in the 50m back and then bronze in the 100m back this past weekend in France. 

It was a double podium finish in the women's 100m fly for Canada. Olympic champion Maggie Mac Neil won silver in a time of 57.83 and Katerine Savard captured bronze in 58.77.

Finlay Knox won a fourth medal on the day for Canada in the 200m individual medley, grabbing bronze by stopping the clock in a time of 1:59.12.

Closing out the Canadian medal haul on Thursday was Burlington, Ont., swimmer Ella Jansen who won bronze in the 200m freestyle final in a time of 1:58.09. 

WATCH | Ingrid Wilm wins gold in Barcelona:

Wilm captures 4th Mare Nostrum Swim Tour medal in 4 days

2 years ago

Duration 3:21

Calgarian Ingrid Wilm claimed gold in the women's 100-metre backstroke race, on the second day of swimming in Barcelona on the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour.

Canadian swimmers won eight medals over two days of competition in Barcelona, including the five on Thursday. This is all part of the annual Mare Nostrum Tour that started last weekend in France, had a two-day stop in Spain before finishing in Monaco this weekend.

About 18 swimmers from Canada have been in Spain since early May. There was a training camp ahead of the Mare Nostrum. 

This is the last international meet for many of the high performance swimmers from Canada ahead of the world championships later this summer.

WATCH | Mac Neil, Savard land on podium:

Canada's Mac Neil and Savard both find the podium at Mare Nostrum Swim Tour event

2 years ago

Duration 2:44

Maggie Mac Neil claimed the silver medal and Katerine Savard added a bronze medal for Canada in the 100-metre butterfly race on the second day of swimming in Barcelona on the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour.

Ruslan Gaziev, originally from Moscow but living in Toronto, stopped the clock in a time of 49.29 for a fifth-place finish in the 100m free. 

Canada's most decorated Olympian Penny Oleksiak is part of the group in Spain.  

Oleksiak posted a time of 26.44 in the 50m free on Thursday morning, which placed her 28th. She was originally on the startlist to compete in the 200m free but withdrew from the event. 

A day earlier, Oleksiak made her return to competitive racing after recovering from knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear. She competed in both the 50m fly and 100m free. They were her first races in nine months.  

WATCH | Knox lands bronze:

Knox claims bronze medal for Canada at Mare Nostrum Swim event

2 years ago

Duration 4:45

Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., swam to a bronze medal in the 200-metre individual medley race on the second day of swimming in Barcelona on the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour.

Oleksiak did not compete at the national trials last month but was named to the Canadian team heading to worlds. 

Taylor Ruck was originally scheduled to compete at the Mare Nostrum; however, she is recovering from a broken hand she suffered in a skateboarding accident last month. Ruck, like Oleksiak, did not compete at trials but was selected to compete at worlds for Canada. 

Summer McIntosh and Josh Liendo are also not competing in the Mare Nostrum, electing to stay back in North America to continue their training. 

A team of 31 Canadians will be competing at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

WATCH | Jansen swims to 200m freestyle bronze:

Ontario's Ella Jansen swims to a 200m freestyle bronze medal at Mare Nostrum in Barcelona

2 years ago

Duration 4:08

17-year-old Ella Jansen of Burlington, Ont., took the bronze medal in the 200-metre freestyle race on day two of the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour in Barcelona.