Summer McIntosh from Toronto kicked off her race schedule at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships on Wednesday night in Irvine, California, with a second-place finish in the women’s 200-metre freestyle event. This was her first time competing at the championship. She completed the race in 1 minute 53.86 seconds, trailing behind Australia’s Lani Pallister, who set a championship record with a time of 1:53.67. Erika Fairweather from New Zealand secured the third spot with a time of 1:55.05.
After the race, McIntosh expressed her thoughts to CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux, mentioning that she believed she could have performed better if she had started faster and improved her turns. She acknowledged that while the result was disappointing, it was a learning experience for her. Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, McIntosh emphasized that she is working towards achieving her goal of winning a gold medal.
During the race, Pallister initially led McIntosh by a slight margin but McIntosh managed to take the lead at the 100-metre mark. However, Pallister regained her lead at the 150-metre mark and ultimately secured the victory.
Before this event, McIntosh had not competed in the 200-metre freestyle at an international level since the 2023 world championships. She mentioned that training for the 200 freestyle aligns well with her regular training routine as a 400 freestyler.
McIntosh, who chose not to participate in the 200 butterfly event, will also compete in the 200 individual medley, 400 freestyle, and 400 individual medley at the ongoing championships. She qualified for the 200 freestyle final with a time of 1:55.85, aiming to achieve a time of 1:52, which is currently held by the retired Titmus.
Additionally, McIntosh holds world records in the 200 butterfly, 200 IM, 400 free, and 400 IM in the long-course (50m pool) category. After overcoming an illness and focusing on her recovery, she is now in top form for the Pan Pacific Championships.
In a separate event, Blake Tierney from Saskatoon emerged victorious in the men’s 100-metre backstroke, securing his first international gold medal with a time of 53.18 seconds. Tierney credited his success to his dedicated training and emphasized that there is still room for improvement in his performance.
Taylor Ruck, representing Kelowna, claimed a bronze medal in the women’s 50-metre butterfly final, setting a new Canadian record with a time of 25.23 seconds. She later added another bronze in the 100-metre backstroke final.
Canada’s 4×100 medley relay team, comprising Ruck, Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson, and Finlay Knox, clinched the bronze medal with a time of 3:43.22. The United States secured gold in the event, setting a world record time of 3:36.70, while Australia claimed the silver medal.
Overall, McIntosh, Tierney, Ruck, and the Canadian relay team showcased impressive performances at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, setting the stage for more exciting competitions ahead.