Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on the gold medal by 0.02 seconds in the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. The Toronto native, who is the reigning Olympic and world champion, settled for silver behind China’s Yu Yiting, who set a championship record with a time of 2:07.45. American Alex Walsh claimed the bronze in 2:07.66.
Yu started strong, being under world-record pace in the butterfly leg, but American Regan Smith took the lead during the backstroke. Yu regained the lead in the breaststroke and managed to hold off McIntosh in the final meters. McIntosh’s silver in the 200m IM adds to her gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle at the outdoor meet. She also contributed to Canada’s bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh expressed that despite a good swim, the meet didn’t go as planned, emphasizing the need for reflection and improvement for the upcoming season. The 19-year-old swimmer, who holds the world record in the event, looks forward to learning more as she transitions into her 20s.
In another event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage clinched the gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke, beating Olympic champion Kate Douglass. Lepage led the race from start to finish, setting a personal best time of 2:21.73. Douglass rallied but fell short, finishing second with a time of 2:22.57, while South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett took the third spot.
Canada concluded the championships with a total of 13 medals, including three golds, four silvers, and six bronzes, marking their most successful performance at the Pan Pacific Championships since 1997. The United States topped the overall medal standings with 50, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada.
In the men’s events, Sam Short of Australia claimed victory in the 1,500 free, adding to his titles in the 400 and 800 free events. His time of 14:33.97 broke the championship record set by Grant Hackett 24 years ago. Jamie Jack of Australia set a championship record in the men’s 50 free with a time of 21.35.
The championships also saw Taylor Ruck of Canada setting a new national record in the women’s 50 free, clocking 24.23. Ruck expressed her satisfaction with the result, highlighting the payoff of hard work and dedication in training.
The event witnessed an unexpected outcome as Australian Lani Pallister defeated Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky’s first international loss in the event. Pallister’s impressive performance saw her finish in 8:06.10, erasing Ledecky’s previous championship record.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships showcased remarkable performances, with athletes pushing their limits and setting new records in various events, setting the stage for future competitions.