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Frazier had Ali to chase and Mickelson had Tiger.
Ryan Cochrane of Victoria has Sun Yang. The aquatic automaton from China has relegated the Islander to the silver medals in the 1,500-metre freestyle at the 2012 London Summer Olympics and last FINA world aquatics championships in 2013 at Barcelona.
The two men resume their rivalry today in the 1,500 final of the 2015 FINA world championships in Kazan, Russia. The qualifying rounds were held Saturday with Yang recording the third-fastest time at 14:55.11 and Cochrane the sixth fastest at 14:55.96. Although Gregorio Paltinieri of Italy posted the quickest qualifying clocking of 14:51.04, today鈥檚 final could again come down to Yang and Cochrane.
Earlier in the world championships, Yang won gold in the 400-metre freestyle while Cochrane captured bronze to further cement his reputation as one of the greatest Canadian swimmers of all-time. It was the 26-year-old Claremont grad鈥檚 21st career international medal in a personal pantheon that includes two medals in the Olympics, seven at the world championships, four at the Commonwealth Games, six at the Pan Pacific championships and two in the Pan Am Games.
That was followed by a shocker in Kazan, a tactical error during qualifying that cost Cochrane a spot in the 800-metre freestyle final, an event in which he has three medals from past world championships. Yang won the 800 metres.
鈥淚 was extremely disappointed in myself after the 800. Missing the 800 was not ideal, I thought it was going to be my best event,鈥� Cochrane said in a statement issued by Swimming sa国际传媒.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 not often you get another chance to show what you鈥檝e been training for all year. I let myself feel bad for one day, then it鈥檚 on to the next thing. That鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about. I got a little extra rest and hopefully that will help me for the [1,500] final.鈥�
Meanwhile, Olympian Hilary Caldwell, from the Cochrane-led Victoria training group at Saanich Commonwealth Place, placed seventh in the women鈥檚 200-metre backstroke final Saturday. Caldwell, coming off her gold medal in the event at the recent 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games, was the bronze medallist at the 2013 world championships in Barcelona.
The Victoria training group has experienced an emotionally lacerating year with the death of coach Randy Bennett at age 51.
鈥淲e went through a rough year, but in getting through it, it made us tougher,鈥� Caldwell said during the Pan Am Games.
鈥淲e know Randy is looking down and watching us.鈥�
sa国际传媒 won its second medal of the 2015 world championships Saturday when the mixed 4x100 freestyle relay team took bronze.
