Taylor Ruck captures 2 golds at Mare Nostrum swimming opener
Canadian teen also earns 3 silvers in France
Canadian Olympic medallist Taylor Ruck won five medals, including two gold, at the Mare Nostrum swimming series in Canet-et-Roussillon, France.
The 18-year-old from Kelowna, B.C., captured gold in the 200-metre backstroke and 200 freestyle on Saturday, as well as a silver in the 50 freestyle.
Ruck, who won a record-tying eight medals at the Commonwealth Games in April, capped off her successful weekend with second-place finishes in the 100 backstroke and 100 freestyle on Sunday.
Her time of 53.13 seconds in the 100 freestyle was just behind Rikako Ikee of Japan at 53.10.
Kayla Sanchez, who like Ruck also trains out of HPC-Ontario, finished fourth with a time of 54.03, while Rebecca Smith of Red Deer, Alta., was fifth in 55.29.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/teamHPCO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#teamHPCO</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/rebeccalsmith14?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rebeccalsmith14</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mackdarragh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mackdarragh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/taylor_ruck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@taylor_ruck</a> Kayla Sanchez & international guest Ben Treffers) finish first leg of <a href="https://twitter.com/MareNostrumswim?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MareNostrumswim</a> in Canet with 4x🥇3x🥈1x🥉& 8 other A-Finals. Great to partner up with <a href="https://twitter.com/HPCVictoria?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hpcvictoria</a> on this trip too. Now onto Barcelona🇪🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FASTswimming?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FASTswimming</a> <a href="https://t.co/rajfgEyuEn">pic.twitter.com/rajfgEyuEn</a>
—@HPC_OntarioSmith won Canada's other medal at the competition, claiming a bronze in the 100 butterfly in 58.91, just ahead of Danielle Hannus of Newmarket, Ont., who finished fourth in 59.07.
Mack Darragh of Mississauga, Ont., was the top Canadian performer on the men's side, reaching three finals and finishing sixth in the 200 freestyle, seventh in the 200 butterfly and eighth in the 200 individual medley.
With files from CBC Sports