Kylie Masse is a competitive swimmer who represents Canada internationally. She is a 2x Olympian, 4x Olympic medalist, and former world record holder in the 100 backstroke.
2016 Rio Olympics
Masse wins the bronze medal tied with Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui of China in the women’s 100m Backstroke with a time of 58.76, just .01 out of second place.
2017 FINA World Championships
Day three of World Championships Masse took down the World Record in women’s 100 back final. Masse surged through the back half to finish in 58.10, taking down Olympic silver medalist Kathleen Baker (58.58) of the USA and 2015 World Champion Emily Seebohm (58.59) of Australia.
Masse’s 100 Back World Record Splits:
- 1st 50 Split- 28.51
- 2nd 50 Split- 29.59
- Final Time- 58.10
200m backstroke semi-final, day six: Masse broke the Canadian National Record with a 2:05.97. The long-burning torch in Canadian women’s 200m backstroke has now been fully passed to Masse. After breaking the World Record and winning gold in the 100 earlier in the meet, Maase has the Canadian Record in the 200m back by almost a second. Masse’s 2:05.97 in the semi-final broke Hilary Caldwell’s 2:06.80 from the 2013 World Championships, where she took bronze. In the finals of the 200m backstroke, did not improve her semifinal swim, placing fifth with a time of 2:07.04.
In the Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay, Masse swam a strong backstroke leg , splitting a 58.22 to help Team Canada win the bronze medal. Teaming with Richard Funk, Penny Oleksiak and Yuri Kisil, Canada missed the silver medal by 0.04 seconds.
2018 Commonwealth Games
Masse won the gold in the 100 back at the Commonwealth Games, with a meet record time of 58.63. She also picked up a gold medal and set a Games record in the 200 back (2:05.98), just one hundredth of a second off her personal best.
2018 Pan Pacific Championships
Shortly after Kathleen Baker broke her world record, the Canadian star went head-to-head with the American in Tokyo, and came out on top. Masse touched for gold in the 100 back on day 2 in a time of 58.61.
ISL – Cali Condors
On June 11, 2019, Kylie Masse was announced as a member of the Cali Condors ISL team, headed by GM Jason Lezak
2019 FINA World Championships
Heading into the final of the 100 back as the top seed, Masse successfully defended her world title, touching for first in a time of 58.60. Masse followed that up with a bronze in the 200 back, touching for 3rd at 2:06.62.
Masse finished her meet in the 4×100 medley relay, where she led off in 59.12 to help Canada earn yet another medal, this time bronze.
2020 Olympic Games
Masse started her 2nd Games off with a medal, touching for 2nd in the women’s 100 back at 57.72, earning silver. Kylie was back in the 200 back, swimming a strong race upfront and holding on nicely to touch for 2nd again behind Kaylee McKeown, earning her 2nd silver of the meet in a time of 2:05.42.
Masse finished her meet in the 400 medley relay, leading off Canada in 57.90 to help the team finish 3rd overall, earning a bronze.
2022 World Championships
Masse started off strong in Budapest, moving through easily to the final of the 100 back, where she was the 2-time defending world champion. Although she did not defend her title, she did give it a good go, nearly topping Regan Smith at the finish but ultimately finishing 2nd in 58.40, adding yet another medal to her career, this one silver.
Masse continued to add to her legacy in the 50 back, topping a very tightly packed field to win in 27.31, just .08 ahead of 2nd place and .16 ahead of 6th.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
Masse had a slightly off meet by her standards but still came away with finals in all three backstroke events and a relay medal. She opened her meet with the 100 back where she advanced through prelims with a 59.14 and semis with a 59.06. Masse was a little slower with a 59.09 in the final for 4th. In the 50 back, she was again solid in prelims (27.48) and semis (24.49) but missed a medal with another 4th (27.28). In the 400 mixed medley, she led off in 59.19 while Canada placed 6th. In the 200 back, Masse relaxed through prelims (2:09.31) and semis (2:08.51) given the weaker field. In the final, Masse was 2:07.52 for 5th. Masse ended her meet on a better note, leading Canada’s 400 medley off with a 58.74. The rest of the squad brough Canada home to a bronze.
2024 Canadian Olympic Trials (Toronto, Canada)
Masse put the world on notice in prelims, swimming a 58.27 100 back. That was the fourth fastest time in the world for the season and her fastest effort since 2021. She obliterated that mark in the final, breaking 58 seconds for the first time since the Tokyo Games. She split 27.97 to the feet, then came home in 29.97 to stop the clock in 57.94, moving her to 3rd in the world.
Masse made short work of the 200 back, winning by over 3 seconds with a 2:06.24 to add it as a 2nd event.
