Canadian swimmers advance at Paris Olympics

Summer McIntosh was one of several Canadian swimmers to advance out of their heats, while a first-time fencing Olympian beat a three-time defending champion as the Paris Games got underway in earnest on Saturday.

PARIS – Summer McIntosh was one of several Canadian swimmers to advance out of their heats, while a first-time fencing Olympian beat a three-time defending champion as the Paris Games got underway in earnest on Saturday.

McIntosh, a 17-year-old from Toront,o qualified for the final of the women’s 400-metre freestyle swimming event by finishing second in her heat and fourth overall. The final will come later Saturday at Paris La Defense Arena.

Maggie Mac Neil from London, Ont., qualified for the women’s 100-metre semifinals later on Saturday. She took second place in her heat and seventh overall.

The 24-year-old, who is the defending Olympic champion in the event, will try to move on to Sunday’s final.

Canadian relay swimmers also qualified for finals through their Saturday morning heats.

Toronto’s Penny Oleksiak, Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., Brooklyn Douthwright of Riverview, N.B., and Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, B.C., qualified sixth in the women’s 4×100-metre freestyle relay.

Qualifying fifth for the men’s final were Finlay Knox of Okotoks, Alta., Yuri Kisil of Calgary, and Javier Acevedo and Josh Liendo, both from Toronto.

Both relay finals will come later on Saturday.