Toronto’s Summer McIntosh made her debut at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships by securing second place in the women’s 200-meter freestyle event in Irvine, Calif. The 19-year-old finished in 1:53.86, trailing Australia’s Lani Pallister, who set a championship record of 1:53.67. Erika Fairweather from New Zealand took third place with a time of 1:55.05. McIntosh expressed some disappointment with her performance, acknowledging areas for improvement. She aims to continue working towards her goal of winning at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
During the race, Pallister initially led McIntosh by a small margin, but McIntosh took the lead halfway through. Despite her efforts, Pallister managed to regain the lead and ultimately secured the victory.
McIntosh had not competed in the 200 free internationally since the 2023 world championships. She mentioned that training for the 200 free aligns well with her preparation for the 400 free event.
In addition to the 200 free, McIntosh will participate in the 200 individual medley, 400 free, and 400 IM at the championships. She qualified for the 200 free final with a time of 1:55.85, aiming to beat the world record set by Titmus at the Australian Olympic trials in 2024.
Meanwhile, Saskatoon’s Blake Tierney claimed gold in the men’s 100m backstroke, setting a time of 53.18 seconds. Tierney expressed satisfaction with his performance, highlighting his closing speed and room for improvement.
Taylor Ruck from Kelowna secured bronze medals in the women’s 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke events, setting a Canadian record in the 50m butterfly. Ruck’s performance contributed to Canada’s success at the championships.
Canada’s 4×100 medley relay team, consisting of Ruck, Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson, and Finlay Knox, clinched a bronze medal to conclude the day’s events. The United States and Australia claimed gold and silver, respectively, in the relay event.