Toronto’s Summer McIntosh kicked off her race schedule at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, with a second-place finish in the women’s 200m freestyle. The 19-year-old, participating in the event for the first time, finished in 1:53.86, just behind Australia’s Lani Pallister, who set a championship record with a time of 1:53.67. Erika Fairweather of New Zealand secured the third spot with a time of 1:55.05 at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.
McIntosh expressed her thoughts on her performance, stating that she felt she could have started faster and had issues with her turns during the race. Despite the disappointment, she remains focused on learning from the experience and working towards her goal of winning at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Pallister initially led McIntosh by a fraction of a second but McIntosh took the lead midway through the race. However, Pallister surged ahead in the final stretch to claim the victory.
Before this event, McIntosh had not competed in the 200m freestyle on the international stage since the 2023 world championships. She mentioned that training for the 200m freestyle aligns well with her schedule as a 400m freestyler.
In addition to the 200m freestyle, McIntosh will also compete in the 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle, and 400m individual medley in Irvine. She aims to improve her time and performance as she works towards her goals.
In the men’s 100m backstroke, Blake Tierney from Saskatoon secured the gold medal with a time of 53.18 seconds. This victory marked Tierney’s first international gold medal and highlighted his hard work and dedication to training.
Taylor Ruck, another Canadian swimmer, contributed to the medal count by winning bronze in the women’s 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke finals. Ruck set a Canadian record with her performance in the 50m butterfly event and delivered strong performances throughout the competition.
The Canadian team also clinched a bronze medal in the 4×100 medley relay, showcasing their teamwork and competitive spirit. The United States and Australia secured the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the same event with impressive performances.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships provided an exciting platform for Canadian swimmers to showcase their talent and compete against top international athletes.