ROME - Canada's 4X100 medley relay finished sixth in national record time while world record holders Amanda Reason of Windsor, Ont., and Annamay Pierse of Vancouver advanced to the final in the women's 50-metre breaststroke on Saturday at the world aquatic championships.

In the 4X100 medley relay, China won the gold medal in a world record three minutes and 52.19 seconds. Australia was second in 3:52.58 and Germany third in 3:55.79.

The Canadians with Julia Wilkinson of North York, Ont., Pierse, and Audrey Lacroix and Victoria Poon, both of Montreal, clocked sixth in 3:57.87. That bettered the Canadian record set in the prelims at 3:58.23 with Wilkinson, Pierse, Lacroix and Geneviève Saumur of Montreal.

The Canadian women broke the national records in all three relays this week. Wilkinson broke her Canadian record in her 100 backstroke leg of he relay clocking 1:00.37 which was 0.01 seconds faster than her time at the Beijing Olympics.

"We left everything in the pool,'' said Wilkinson, who underwent shoulder surgery last fall. "We have great chemistry. We know we support each other and that's a really great feeling and an important part of our success. That's also a reason why I was able to go a best time when I didn't really think I was capable of that two weeks ago. The backstroke was the last stroke I was allowed to do after the surgery.''

In the women's 50-metre breaststroke semifinals, Reason was the fourth fastest in 30.42. The 15-year-old currently holds the world record in the event at 30.23 set three weeks ago at the world championship trials in Montreal. The final is scheduled for Sunday evening.

"I feel really great,'' said Reason. "I'm happy to position myself for a really good lane for the final. I held my race together and I just have to do that again.''

Pierse, who broke the world record and won the silver medal here in the 200-metre breaststroke, had a more dramatic qualifying. She tied for the eighth and last spot at 30.92 in the semifinal which forced a race-off against Valentina Artemyeva of Russia who had posted the same time. Pierse won the race-off in 30.98 edging the Russian by a mere 0.01 seconds.

On the day, Pierse raced two relay races and the 50 breaststroke three times. ‘'She is the only one to reach all three women's breaststroke finals this week,'' said Pierre Lafontaine, Swimming Canada's CEO and national coach. ‘'It's pretty spectacular.''

Sarah Katsoulis of Australia was the top semifinalist in 30.33.

In the women's 50-metre freestyle semis, Poon broke her Canadian record clocking 24.75, the first sub 25 second time by a Canadian. She was 13th overall and did not advance to the final.

Earlier Saturday, in the men's 1,500 freestyle preliminaries, Olympic bronze medallist Ryan Cochrane of Victoria cruised to the third fastest time clocking 14 minutes and 56.56 seconds to qualify for Sunday's final. He is chasing his second medal of the competition after earning the bronze earlier this week in the 800 freestyle.

"It was a bit slower than I expected but I reached my goal by making the final,'' said Cochrane. "I've done a lot racing here this week and it's a new experience. But I think it'll be fine as everyone did the same so they'll be just as ready as I am. The final will be more about racing than time. As long as I can race well I can be on the podium again.''

Yang Sun of China was the top qualifier in 14:54.54 and Olympic champion Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia was second in 14:54.56.