UBC's McCabe wins bronze at World Championships

Source: UBC Sports Info

SHANGHAI - UBC Thunderbird standout Martha McCabe won the bronze medal Friday in the women's 200-metre breaststroke at the world swimming championships.

The Toronto native took third place in two minutes 24.81 seconds.

American Rebecca Soni, who led from start to finish, won gold in 2:21.47. She also won Tuesday's 100-metre breaststroke. Yuliya Efimova of Russia won the silver in 2:22.22.

"I'm excited and ecstatic," said the 21-year-old McCabe, who finished seventh at the 2009 worlds in Rome. "It's a pretty important result one year out of the Olympics but I know this event will only get faster so I can't step back by any means."

McCabe came to the worlds with high expectations.

"My goal was a top-five but after the semis I knew a medal was possible," she said. "My coach told me to focus on my third 50 (metres) and that's what I did. Heading into the wall, I didn't know where I was but I finished strong."

After turning sixth at the half way point of the race, McCabe made her move on the next length moving into fourth with 50 metres remaining before holding off China's Sun Ye in the race for bronze.

McCabe, who just wrapped up her fourth year at UBC, helped lead the T-Birds to the 2011 Canada West swimming title and a second place result at the CIS Championship. She is the two-time defending champion in the 200m breaststroke at the national meet.

Former UBC T-Bird Annamay Pierse, who is the world record holder in the 200m breaststroke, finished eighth in today's final.