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. Despite her impressive performance, she 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 with a time of 2:07.66.
Throughout the race, Yu was ahead of world-record pace during the butterfly leg before Regan Smith of the United States took the lead on the backstroke. Yu regained the lead during the breaststroke leg and managed to hold off McIntosh in the final meters.
This marked McIntosh’s third individual medal of the competition, having previously won gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle. Additionally, she contributed to Canada’s bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on the race, McIntosh expressed that while it was one of her better swims, she aims to improve for the next season. The 19-year-old, who holds the world record in the event, emphasized her learning and growth as she transitions into her 20s.
In another event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage clinched the gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke, outperforming reigning Olympic and world champion Kate Douglass. Lepage led the race from start to finish, touching the wall in a personal best time of 2:21.73. Douglass finished second with a time of 2:22.57, while Kaylene Corbett of South Africa secured the third spot with 2:22.97.
Canada concluded the championships with a total of 13 medals, including three gold, four silver, and six bronze. This marked the country’s most successful performance at the Pan Pacific Championships since 1997. The United States topped the medal standings with 50 medals, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada in third place.
The competition also saw notable performances from other Canadian swimmers, including Taylor Ruck setting a new Canadian record in the women’s 50m freestyle. Ruck expressed her satisfaction with the result, highlighting the payoff of her hard work and dedication to training.
Additionally, Lani Pallister of Australia caused a major upset by defeating Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky’s first international loss in the event. Pallister finished with a time of 8:06.10, setting a new championship record.
Overall, the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships showcased outstanding performances from athletes around the world, setting the stage for future competitions and inspiring new milestones in the sport.