Okotoks’ Finlay Knox was a member of two impressive Canadian relay teams at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The men’s 4×100-metre freestyle relay of Knox, Josh Liendo, Ruslan Gaziev and Javier Acevedo put Canada in strong position to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by placing fifth in the final.
The three medalists clinched spots in Paris, while the remaining times will be ranked against the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships to decide the 13 other relay qualifiers.
‘’One year out we’re in a good place,’’ said Gaziev, an alumnus of Etobicoke Swim Club who led off in prelims with a personal best 48.38. ‘’We have a lot of room for improvement which is what I’m most excited about.’’
Knox, who replaced heat swimmer Edouard Fullum-Huot of Montreal in the final, was in unfamiliar territory as a 4×100 freestyle relay swimmer.
“A big thank you to Eddy for putting us in a solid position this morning. To get the call I was going to be on the final, I knew I had to perform,” said Knox, an Okotoks Mavericks alumnus who now trains at the High Performance Centre – Ontario.
“As a medley swimmer trying to be on this 4×1 relay I’ve got a lot of swimmers on my heels and a lot of development to go,” Knox said. “I’m just really proud of these guys.”
Knox was also part of the 4×200 freestyle relay, which posted the fastest time for a Canadian team in well over a decade.
Knox was joined by Gaziev, Acevedo and Patrick Hussey for the morning preliminaries, where the team finished 12th in 7:10.67, Canada’s fastest time since 2009 and a two-second improvement on last year’s Commonwealth Games.
Hussey and Knox both had their career best relay splits (1:48.33 and 1:47.57).
“It’s always incredible swimming as part of the relay with Team Canada, especially with three guys that are arguably better than me at the 200 free,’’ said Knox, known for his 200 individual medley. ‘’So, not that there was pressure, but having to deliver under these circumstances and just giving it everything. I think the race showed that I left everything in the pool.’’
Knox finished 13th in the men’s 200 individual medley, clocking 1:58.23 in the semifinal to come up one second shy of qualifying for the final.
The 20th edition of the World Aquatics Championships took place from July 14 to 30.
