Summer McIntosh clinched her first-ever gold medal at the Pan Pacific swimming championship in Irvine, California, by setting a championship record time in the women’s 400-meter individual medley, beating Australia’s Jenna Forrester. The Canadian swimmer completed the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle in an impressive time of 4 minutes and 28.01 seconds. Forrester secured the silver medal with a time of 4:31.50, while Agostina Hein from Argentina took the bronze with a time of 4:32.54.
Summer McIntosh expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating that while she believed she could have done better, she was pleased to represent Canada and secure the gold medal. McIntosh spoke to CBC’s Devin Heroux after the race, highlighting her controlled fly and analyzing her race strategy.
Following her individual victory, McIntosh contributed to Canada’s success in the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay, securing a bronze medal alongside her teammates Mary-Sophie Harvey, Emma O’Croinin, and Brooklyn Douthwright. The Canadian team finished with a time of 7:52.74, behind Australia and the United States, who claimed the gold and silver medals, respectively.
McIntosh emphasized the importance of teamwork and expressed her joy in competing in relay races. She also shared her aspirations to continue standing on the podium in future competitions, including the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
In other events, Tristan Jankovics and Lorne Wigginton represented Canada in the men’s 400 IM, with Jankovics finishing seventh and Wigginton eighth. Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita set a new championship record with a gold medal-winning performance. Additionally, Taylor Ruck achieved a fifth-place finish in the women’s 100 free event.
The competition saw University of Calgary’s Alexanne Lepage achieve a personal best in the women’s 100 breaststroke, coming close to the Canadian record. Teammate Sophie Angus also showcased a strong performance in the event. McKenzie Siroky of the U.S. emerged victorious in the women’s 100 breaststroke.
Several other Canadian swimmers delivered commendable performances in various events, demonstrating their skill and determination at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.