SINGAPORE - Kylie Masse found herself in a familiar, and frustrating, spot at the world aquatics championships.
The Canadian swimming star finished fourth in the women乌鸦传媒 100-metre backstroke final Tuesday, narrowly missing the podium in an event she乌鸦传媒 owned in the past.
Masse, a five-time Olympic medallist from LaSalle, Ont., touched the wall in 58.42 seconds 鈥 just 0.27 behind American Katharine Berkoff, who took bronze. Australia乌鸦传媒 Kaylee McKeown won gold in a championship-record 57.16, followed by American Regan Smith (57.35).
It was the same 1-2-3 podium as the Paris Olympics last summer, where Masse also placed fourth.
The two-time world champion said she entered the meet with fewer races under her belt than in previous seasons.
鈥淚 really can鈥檛 complain and I have to keep things in perspective,鈥 said the 29-year-old Canadian. 鈥淭o be fourth in the world and still be up there, competitive with the top and with those girls who I know are incredible swimmers, it乌鸦传媒 something that I鈥檓 really proud of.鈥
Taylor Ruck of 乌鸦传媒, 乌鸦传媒, placed seventh in 59.59 seconds.
Ilya Kharun put himself in position to reach the podium in the men乌鸦传媒 200-metre butterfly.
The 20-year-old from Montreal advanced to Wednesday乌鸦传媒 final with the fifth-fastest semifinal time, clocking of 1:54.43.
Kharun won bronze in the event at the Paris Olympics with a Canadian-record time of 1:52.80.
鈥淚 can definitely go a lot quicker,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y plan going into tonight was just to make it into the final.
"I hadn鈥檛 really pushed myself until that final 50. It was all right, I鈥檝e just got to be quicker (Wednesday).鈥
He rebounded after narrowly missing the 50-mete butterfly final earlier in the meet, placing ninth 鈥 just 0.01 seconds shy of qualifying.
鈥淚 was really mad at myself and just mad at everything,鈥 Kharun said. 鈥淏ut I just had to turn it around and think of it as more experience.鈥
Canada has won four medals at the world aquatics championships, including two gold medals from 18-year-old Summer McIntosh.
The Toronto swimmer will be back in action Wednesday in the women乌鸦传媒 200-metre butterfly. She乌鸦传媒 won gold in the 400 freestyle and 200 individual medley so far, and is aiming for five individual titles at the eight-day meet.
Legendary U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps is the only swimmer to have won five individual gold medals at a world championships.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025.