Olympic swimmers begin FINA world championships in Windsor

December 6, 2016

After clinching six medals at Rio 2016, Team Canada’s swimmers are back in action for the short-course FINA world championships in Windsor.

The world’s top swimmers will be in Canada from December 6-11, competing for a spot on the FINA podium. Canada’s 31 athlete roster features 17 Rio 2016 Olympians, including individual medallists Penny Oleksiak, Kylie Masse and Hilary Caldwell.

Related: Rio 2016 Swimming Team

Canada's Hilary Caldwell with her bronze medal from winning the bronze medal in the women's 200-meter backstroke final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (COC Photo/Mark Blinch)

Hilary Caldwell with her Rio 2016 bronze from women’s 200-meter backstroke on Aug. 12, 2016. (COC Photo/Mark Blinch)

What makes the FINA swimming championships (25m) different from Rio 2016, is that the length of the pool is half the size of an Olympic 50 metre pool. The course challenges swimmers, forcing them to complete more turns as the race for a spot atop the podium.

“Coming off the summer I know that it’s a completely different race from long-course to short-course, so I’m just focusing on what I’ve been doing the past few months to see what I can do.” Said Olympic bronze medallist Masse to Swimming Canada. The 100m backstroke specialist is especially excited for the FINA championships to kick off in her hometown of Windsor, ON.

Canada's Kylie Masse competes in the during women's 100 backstroke semifinal swimming at the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday August 8, 2016. COC Photo/Mark Blinch

Kylie Masse competes in the during women’s 100 backstroke semifinal at Rio 2016 on August 8, 2016. COC Photo/Mark Blinch

Day one will begin on Tuesday, with preliminary races in the morning followed by finals at night. Medal events taking place on opening night include the women’s 4x100m freestyle, where four of the five Rio 2016 bronze medallists – Oleksiak, Sandrine Mainville, Taylor Ruck and Michelle Williams – will hit the water.

Sandrine Mainville, Chantal Van Landeghem, Taylor Ruck, and Penny Oleksiak celebrate winning bronze in the Women's swimming 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Final qualifying at the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday August 6, 2016. COC Photo/Mark Blinch

Sandrine Mainville, Chantal Van Landeghem, Taylor Ruck, and Penny Oleksiak celebrate winning Rio 2016 bronze in the women’s swimming 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay on August 6, 2016. COC Photo/Mark Blinch

Local fans can watch the short-course FINA World Swimming Championships live (more info here), the competition will also be streamed daily on cbcsports.ca.