Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on the gold medal in the women’s 200-metre individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. She settled for silver, finishing just 0.02 seconds behind China’s Yu Yiting, who set a championship record with a time of 2:07.45. American Alex Walsh claimed the bronze medal with a time of 2:07.66.
During the race, Yu set a blistering pace on the butterfly leg, but American Regan Smith briefly took the lead on the backstroke. Yu regained the lead on the breaststroke and managed to hold off McIntosh in the final moments of the race. McIntosh’s silver in the 200m IM added to her previous gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle, along with a bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh expressed her satisfaction with her swim but acknowledged that the overall meet did not go as she had hoped. She plans to focus on improvements for the upcoming season. The 19-year-old, who holds the world record in the event, highlighted the learning experiences gained as a young athlete.
In a separate event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage clinched the gold medal in the women’s 200m breaststroke, outperforming reigning Olympic champion Kate Douglass. Lepage led the race from start to finish, setting a lifetime best of 2:21.73. Douglass finished second with a time of 2:22.57, while South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett secured the bronze in 2:22.97.
These performances contributed to Canada’s success at the championships, where the team amassed a total of 13 medals, including three gold, four silver, and six bronze. This marked Canada’s most successful outing at the Pan Pacific Championships since 1997. The United States topped the overall medal standings with 50 medals, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada in third place.
In another highlight, Australian swimmer Lani Pallister caused an upset by defeating Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky’s first international loss in the event. Pallister set a time of 8:06.10, breaking Ledecky’s championship record from 2018. Ledecky settled for silver with a time of 8:07.26.
The championships also saw remarkable performances in other events, including Sam Short of Australia winning the men’s 1,500 free, and Jamie Jack claiming victory in the men’s 50 free. Canadian swimmers also delivered notable performances across various disciplines, showcasing their talent on the international stage.
Overall, the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships featured thrilling races and standout performances from athletes around the world, setting the stage for future competitions and continued excellence in the sport.