Toronto’s Summer McIntosh began her competition at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships by securing second place in the women’s 200-meter freestyle event held in Irvine, California. The 19-year-old Canadian finished with a time of 1:53.86, just behind Australia’s Lani Pallister who set a championship record with a time of 1:53.67. Erika Fairweather from New Zealand claimed the third spot with a time of 1:55.05. Despite her performance, McIntosh expressed some disappointment, mentioning that she believes she can achieve a faster time of 1:52 in the future.
During the race, Pallister initially led McIntosh by a small margin, but McIntosh managed to take the lead halfway through the race. However, Pallister regained the lead in the final stretch. McIntosh, known for her prowess in various swimming disciplines, had not competed in the 200 freestyle internationally since the 2023 world championships. She emphasized that her training regimen for the 200 freestyle aligns well with her preparation for the 400 freestyle.
McIntosh, who chose not to compete in the 200 butterfly, is set to participate in other events such as the 200 individual medley, 400 freestyle, and 400 individual medley in the ongoing championships. She managed to secure a spot in the 200 free final with a time of 1:55.85, expressing her goal of achieving a time of 1:52, currently held by the retired Titmus.
In the men’s 100m backstroke event, Blake Tierney from Saskatoon clinched the gold medal with a time of 53.18 seconds, showcasing a strong finish. This victory marked Tierney’s first international gold medal, emphasizing the importance of consistent training in achieving success. Tierney currently holds the Canadian record in the event with a personal best time of 52.95 seconds.
Taylor Ruck, another prominent Canadian swimmer, kicked off the Canadian medal count by securing a bronze medal in the women’s 50m butterfly final, setting a new Canadian record with a time of 25.23 seconds. Ruck also added another bronze in the 100m backstroke final, showcasing her versatility in different swimming disciplines.
To conclude the evening, the Canadian 4×100 medley relay team consisting of Ruck, Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson, and Finlay Knox secured a bronze medal with a final time of 3:43.22. The United States team clinched gold with a world-record time of 3:36.70, followed by Australia in second place with a time of 3:39.30. This relay event marked another successful achievement for the Canadian swimming team at the Pan Pacific Championships.
