Summer McIntosh, the current world record-holder in the women’s 400-meter freestyle event, fell short of qualifying for the A final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. Despite being in a position to secure a second-place finish behind Australia’s Lani Pallister in the morning heat, McIntosh was narrowly out-touched, settling for third place and ninth overall with a time of 4 minutes 8.56 seconds, which was 14 seconds slower than her record-breaking time. China’s 15-year-old swimmer, Fan Yaqi, clinched the final spot for the evening final at 10:07 p.m. ET with a time of 4:08.36.
The Canadian swimming sensation, aged 19 and hailing from Toronto, expressed her determination to compete in the B final at 10:01 p.m., alongside her teammate Ella Cosgrove, who finished 13th overall. The live stream of the event can be accessed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
Taking accountability for her performance in the morning heats, McIntosh took to Instagram to acknowledge her misjudgment, assuring her supporters that she would be competing in the B final later in the evening. McIntosh previously set a new record of 3:54.18 at the Canadian swimming trials in Victoria last June, surpassing the previous record set by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus in 2023.
The anticipated A final at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center was expected to feature a showdown between American record-holder Katie Ledecky, Pallister, and McIntosh. Ledecky secured the top spot in qualifying with a time of 4:03.48, while Pallister claimed the fourth position with a time of 4:05.22.
McIntosh’s debut at the Pan Pacifics on Wednesday saw her winning a silver in the women’s 200 free, finishing just behind Pallister. She continued her impressive performance by setting a championship record in the 400 individual medley and also contributing to a bronze medal win in the women’s 200 free relay. Scheduled to compete in the 200 IM on Saturday, McIntosh’s journey at the championships continues as she strives for further success.