Canada’s Taylor Ruck added to her collection of medals at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup by securing a silver in the 200-meter backstroke and a bronze in the 100-meter freestyle in Azerbaijan over the weekend. Hailing from Kelowna, B.C., the 26-year-old athlete made her way to the podium for the fourth time in just three days, having previously clinched silver in the 100-meter backstroke and bronze in the 50-meter freestyle at Baku’s Aquatic Palace.
In the short-course (25-meter pool) backstroke event, Ruck, a four-time Olympic relay medalist, finished just a fraction of a second behind Anna Peplowski of the United States. Freya Constance Colbert from Britain secured third place, trailing Peplowski and Ruck by over three seconds, while Ruck’s compatriot, Brooklyn Douthwright from Riverview, N.B., settled for fourth place.
Ruck also competed in the freestyle category, coming in third behind Marrit Steenbergen of the Netherlands and Katarzyna Wasick of Poland. Her time of 52.38 seconds in the women’s 100-meter freestyle earned her the bronze medal, marking her fourth podium finish in Baku.
On the men’s side, Saskatoon’s Blake Tierney finished in fourth place in the 100-meter backstroke event.