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Overholt ends amazing season with World Championship bronze

West Vancouver teen sets Canadian record in same event she was disqualified from at Pan Am Games
Emily Overholt
West Vancouver teen Emily Overholt shows off the bronze medal she won in the 400-metre individual medley Sunday at the FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia.

West Vancouver teenager Emily Overholt capped off an unbelievable summer of swimming with a bronze medal in her first ever appearance at the FINA World Championships Sunday in Kazan, Russia.

The 17-year-old clocked a Canadian record time of 4:32.52 in the 400-metre individual medley to finish third behind Katinka Hosszu of Hungary and Maya DiRado of the United States.

"I knew it was going to be a close race and I didn't really know if I had a chance,” Overholt said in a Swimming Canada release. “As soon as I got in I kind of went for it and saw I was in third place. It's very exciting and unexpected."

Even Canadian swimming superstar Ryan Cochrane, who earned three bronze medals at the World Championships, was impressed with Overholt’s performance.

"It's one of the best times in the world and it's super encouraging to see her on the podium here,” he said. “A medal a year out of the Olympics means only good things for next year."

In July Overholt thought she had won a Pan Am Games gold medal in that same race, the 400-m IM, but was disqualified moments later for a “non-simultaneous touch.” That decision took away both her medal and a Pan Am Games record. She rebounded less than 24 hours later to win gold in the 400-m freestyle.

Overholt's Pan Am performance in Toronto also included a silver in the 200-m freestyle and bronze in the 4x200-m freestyle relay. The West Vancouver Otters Swim Club product graduated from Grade 12 at Collingwood School in June.