Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil captures world silver in women’s 100m butterfly

Canadian Maggie Mac Neil raced to a silver medal in the women’s 100-metre butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships on Monday in Fukuoka, Japan.

Mac Neil, the reigning Olympic champion, finished in 56.45 seconds.

China’s Zhang Yufei rallied over the final 15 metres, capturing the gold medal in 56.12, while American and 2022 world champion Torri Huske earned bronze with a time of 56.61.

Mac Neil, who grew up in London, Ont., was behind the leaders but used a powerful turn and kick at 50 metres to propel into the lead.

Mac Neil looked strong with about 25 remaining, but started to fade a little bit, allowing Zhang the time to touch the wall in first.

“The last 25 [metres] hurt so bad,” Mac Neil admitted to CBC Sports reporter Devin Heroux. “It’s always good to be back on the world stage. Clearly I have work to but I’m exiting [for future competitions]. Hopefully there’s some things to work on for next year. I’m more happy with second place than the time.”

Mac Neil won the 2019 world title in this event Doha, Qatar.

She opted out of the individual events at the world championships in 2022 for mental health reasons, participating only in relays.

“I think it was really important taking the space and being able to be a relay-only swimmer definitely gave me a different perspective on the sport,” she said.

”Being able to come back and get my confidence up and win my first Commonwealth Games gold medal was another really important step for me. So overall I’m really happy with the decisions that I made. And I’m definitely going towards next year now.”

A year culminating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

WATCH l Mac Neil earns silver medal:

The Canadian swimmer led down the stretch but had to settle for silver in the 100-metre butterfly.

The women’s race was a repeat of the final two years ago at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. The top four finishers in Tokyo were separated by only 14-100ths of a second. That race went to MacNeil, followed by Zhang and Australian swimmer Emma McKeon. Huske was 1-100th behind McKeon and missed out on a medal.

Masse, Wilm advance to 100m backstroke final

Two Canadians will be competing in the women’s 100 backstroke final on Tuesday.

Kylie Masse and Ingrid Wilm both advanced with strong performances in the semifinals.

Masse, 27, of Lasalle, Ont., finished fourth fastest in 59.06. Calgary’s Wilm, 25, managed to qualify in sixth in 59.35.

”I’m looking forward to racing tomorrow,” said Masse. ”It’s an incredible field and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Masse has had a decorated swimming career. A four-time Olympic medallist, Masse is a three-time world champion, including gold medals in the event in 2017 and 2019.

American Regan Smith posted the day’s fastest time of 58.33.

“I’m just excited to have earned a spot,” said Wilm. “I just feel lucky that I get the chance this year. I don’t want to jinx myself but I’m just taking it step by step and I’ll do what I can tomorrow night.”

Masse says Mac Neil’s medal is just what the doctor ordered for the Canadian team.

“It’s always amazing to see a Canadian medal,” Masse said. ”It’s even a greater inspiration to be her friend and have watched her progress through a number of years continuing to achieve medal podiums and great successes in the sport.”

Masse and Wilm will swim in the final at 7:51 a.m. ET, which will be available live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

In water polo, the Canadian women failed in their bid to reach the semifinals, losing 17-10 to the Netherlands. 

WATCH | Full coverage of Monday’s events from Fukuoka, Japan:

Watch the best swimmers on the planet compete at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Another gold for China

Qin Haiyang roared to victory in the men’s 100 breaststroke.

Qin set the second-fastest time in history behind Britain’s world record holder Adam Peaty, finishing in 57.69, with a three-way tie for the silver as Nicolo Martinenghi, Arno Kamminga and Nic Fink were all locked on 58.72.

After topping all other swimmers by more than one second in the semifinals, Qin was never challenged in the final.

The men’s race was partly defined by who did not compete. Peaty, a two-time Olympic champion and world-record holder from Britain, is taking a break and is not swimming in Japan. He has said in interviews he’s taking time away for “mental health issues.”

Peaty is one of the most dominant swimmers in his discipline and holds 19 of the top 20 times in the 100 breaststroke. His record is 56.88.

U.S. rules women’s 200m medley

American swimmers Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh, college teammates at the University of Virginia, finished 1-2 in the women’s 200 medley, with Yu Yiting of China in third.

Douglass trailed until the final 50 when she overtook Walsh to win the gold medal in 2:07.17. Walsh picked up the silver in 2:07.97, while Yu took the bronze in 2:08.74.

The top-two finish by Douglass and Walsh marked the first time the American women had achieved the feat at the worlds.

Toronto’s Summer McIntosh would have been a strong favourite in the event but elected not to swim it because of a scheduling conflict.

The 16-year-old, who swam to a Canadian record 2:06.89 in March, finished a disappointing fourth in the 400 free on Sunday. and lost her world record to Ariarne Titmus of Australia. McIntosh already holds the 400 medley mark, set earlier this year at 4:25.87.

Thomas Ceccon of Italy won the men’s 50 butterfly, which is not an Olympic event, in 22.68. He finished ahead of Diogo Matos Ribeiro of Portugal in 22.80 and Maxime Grousset of France in 22.82.

Many of the men’s butterfly events are missing top contenders, including Caeleb Dressel of the United States and Kristof Milak of Hungary. Dressel failed to make the team after taking a long break and Malik said he was not in shape, mentally or physically, to compete.