Canada advances to women's 4x200m freestyle relay final at World Aquatics Championships

Canada's swim team secured another medal opportunity at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday morning in Fukuoka, Japan, with the women's 4x200-metre freestyle relay squad advancing to the final.

Ella Jansen, Emma O'Croinin, Brooklyn Douthwright and Katerine Savard finished third in the second and final heat with a time of seven minutes 54.73 seconds, the sixth-fastest out of the 18 teams competing. The top eight advanced to the final, which is scheduled for Thursday at 8:45 a.m. ET at the Marine Messe Fukuoka.

Jansen gave the Canadians a strong start, while the veteran Savard brought it home on the anchor leg to book their spot in the final. Savard, 30, won bronze in the event at last year's worlds and the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

WATCH | Replay of Day 5 swimming prelims at World Aquatics Championships:

Hugh McNeill, making his worlds debut, got things started for Canada on Thursday morning by advancing to the men's 200m backstroke semifinals.

The Langley, B.C., native finished strong to win the penultimate third heat, pulling away over the final 50 metres to touch the wall in 1:57.73, good for seventh-best out of the 16 qualifiers.

McNeill will compete in the semis on Thursday at 8:33 a.m. ET, with the final scheduled for Friday at 7:59 a.m. ET.

Wog, who made her Olympic debut in Tokyo, will look to advance on Thursday at 8:19 a.m. ET. The final is set for Friday at 7:49 a.m. ET.

Fellow Canadian Brayden Taivassalo, also competing at his first worlds, failed to advance in the men's 200m breaststroke after placing last in the fourth of five heats. The 18-year-old from Newmarket, Ont., posted a time of 2:13.81 to finish 30th out of 43 competitors.

Along with the relay team, three other Canadian swimmers will