Annamay Pierse broke the oldest Canadian swimming record in history Sunday, capturing a silver medal in the 200-metre breaststroke at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janerio.
Pierse, an Edmonton native, also helped the women's 4x100 medley relay team to a second-place finish as Canada grabbed four medals on the final day of swimming competition.
Elizabeth Wycliffe of Kingston, Ont., and the men's 4x100 medley relay added bronze medals.
Canada's Annamay Pierse swims to a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.
(Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)
It was a successful competition for the Canadian swim team, which finished with five more medals than four years earlier at the Pan Ams in Santo Domingo. In total, Canadian swimmers won 18 medals — one gold, five silver and 12 bronze.
In the 200 breaststroke, Caitlin Leverenz of the U.S., clocked a Games record for the victory in 2:25.62. Pierse came in at 2:26.79 to eclipse the previous national mark of 2:27.27 set by Allison Higson at the 1988 Olympic trials.
Pierse 'raced smart'
Higson's mark at the time was a world record.
''I've wanted that record since I was 16 years old,'' said Pierse, 23. ''I'm so happy to get it. I got within range in yesterday's [Saturday's] semifinal, but I tried to not think about it too much today. I just tried to stay relaxed and in control. But I'm not surprised to get the record. The training has been going great and I knew if I raced smart I would get it.''
Pierse also won silver and broke the Canadian record in the 100 breaststroke earlier this week.
''These were definitely a breakthrough Games for me,'' she said. ''I've built a lot of confidence for next year. I know I can be up there.''
In the women's 4x100 medley relay, the U.S. took the gold in a Games record 4:04.60 and the Canadians — with Wycliffe, Pierse, Stephanie Horner of Beaconsfield, Que., and Chanelle Charron-Watson of Gatineau, Que. — were second in 4:07.85. Brazil was third in 4:09.27.
Charron-Watson was a member of all three medal-winning relay teams this week, while Horner ends the Games as the most decorated Canadian swimmer, with two individual and two relay medals.
Wycliffe added her second individual bronze medal in the 200 backstroke. Teresa Crippen led the U.S. to a 1-2 finish in a Games-record 2:10.57. Julia Smith was second in 2:11.18 and Wycliffe touched the wall in 2:13.29. Karah Stanworth-Belleville of Vaudreuil, Que., finished just off the podium in fourth in 2:17.11.
In the men's 4x100 medley relay, the Canadians took the bronze in 3:38.16, just 0.22 seconds off the Canadian record. The U.S., won the gold in a Games-record 3:34.37, more than a second ahead of second-place Brazil.
Relay team close to Canadian record
Members of the Canadian relay team were Matthew Hawes of Ottawa, Scott Dickens of Burlington, Ont., Joe Bartoch of London, Ont., and Adam Sioui of Trenton, Ont.
''It was a great performance for our relay, said Dickens. ''Matt got us off to a great start, and we built it from there and came pretty close to the Canadian record. Considering we didn't have much practice time together, I think we did well.''
In the men's 100 backstroke final, Pascal Wollach of Calgary was fourth and Tommy Sacco of Calgary was sixth. Randal Ball of the U.S. won the gold in a Games-record 53.66, almost a full second ahead of his closest pursuer.
In the women's 100 freestyle final, Elizabeth Collins of Regina was sixth and Seanna Mitchell of Ottawa was seventh.
Nineteen of the 32 Canadian swimming team members made it to the podium this week, and personal-best times were lowered 43 times.