Okotoks swimmer, Finlay Knox, won gold at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships on Thursday in the 200m IM, breaking his own Canadian record by touching the wall in a time of 1:56.64.
Knox, 23, was in third place for stretches of the race and stormed back in the freestyle leg to secure the top spot ahead of American Carson Foster and Italy’s Alberto Razzetti.
“The last 50, everyone knows you just have to dig deep and go for it,” said Knox, on the CBC Sports broadcast. “I was lucky to be in lane seven and be able to see the field coming off the wall, but honestly I just kept my eyes closed and swam my own race.”
https://twitter.com/CBCOlympics/status/1758182747581854142
The Okotoks Mavericks Swimming alumnus trimmed 0.62 off his personal best time in the 200m IM, a mark he set last March.
American swimmer Ryan Lochte holds the world record in the event at 1:54.00.
The gold medal is Knox’s first-ever podium finish in his career at the long course worlds.
“It feels incredible obviously now having the world champion under my name,” said Knox, in a Swimming Canada release. “For me it’s just another step forward. I’m very happy to be in the spotlight tonight but in the back of my mind I know there are some faster swimmers out there which keeps me hungry.”
It's the first gold medal from a Canadian male swimmer on the world stage since 2007 and just the third medal in Canada's history in the 200m IM event, the first of the gold variety since 1978.
The 200m individual medley — which encompasses the four strokes of backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle — has been the signature event for the Okotokian dating back to his time at the Riley Minue Pool with the Mavericks.
Knox, who trains out of Swimming Canada’s High Performance Centre in Vancouver, finished 17th at the 2020 Olympic Games in the 200m IM, his debut on the Olympic stage.
