Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on the gold medal by 0.02 seconds in the 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, Calif. 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.
Yu Yiting started strongly, being under the world-record pace in the butterfly leg, but American Regan Smith took the lead during the backstroke. However, Yu regained the lead in the breaststroke and managed to hold off McIntosh in the final stretch.
This marked McIntosh’s third individual medal at the event, having previously won gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle. She also contributed to Canada’s bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh expressed disappointment that the meet did not go as she had hoped, emphasizing the need for self-reflection and improvement for the next season. At just 19 years old, McIntosh competed in her final individual race as a teenager, acknowledging her achievements and anticipating further growth in her 20s.
In another event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage secured gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke, outperforming reigning Olympic and world champion Kate Douglass from the United States. Lepage led the race from start to finish, clocking a personal best time of 2:21.73. Douglass finished second in 2:22.57, while South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett claimed the third spot in 2:22.97.
The Pan Pacific Championships concluded with Canada securing a total of 13 medals, including three gold, four silver, and six bronze medals, the country’s best performance since 1997. The United States topped the overall medal standings with 50 medals, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada in third place.
In other noteworthy results, Australian swimmer Sam Short won the men’s 1,500m freestyle, setting the sixth-fastest time in history and breaking a 24-year-old championship record. Additionally, Jamie Jack of Australia set a championship record in the men’s 50m freestyle, with American Jack Alexy finishing second.
The event also witnessed Canadian records being broken, with Taylor Ruck lowering her own record in the women’s 50m freestyle. Ruck expressed her satisfaction with the hard work paying off and the realization of her achievement post-race.
Moreover, Australian swimmer Lani Pallister caused a major upset by defeating four-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky’s first international loss in the event. Pallister set a new championship record with Ledecky taking silver.
The championships showcased remarkable performances, world records, and unexpected victories, highlighting the competitive spirit and talent in the world of swimming.