Toronto’s Summer McIntosh kicked off her performance at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships by securing second place in the women’s 200-meter freestyle event in Irvine, California. The 19-year-old finished with a time of 1:53.86, just behind Australia’s Lani Pallister who set a championship record of 1:53.67. Erika Fairweather from New Zealand took third place with a time of 1:55.05 at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.
Speaking to CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux, McIntosh expressed her disappointment with her performance, mentioning that she believes she can achieve a time of 1:52 but felt she was overthinking during the race. Despite the setback, she remains focused on her long-term goal of winning at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
During the race, Pallister initially led McIntosh by a small margin, but McIntosh managed to take the lead at the halfway mark. However, Pallister surged ahead in the final stretch, ultimately winning the race.
McIntosh, primarily a 400m freestyler, mentioned that training for the 200m freestyle fits well into her schedule and complements her other events. She also mentioned her upcoming races in Irvine, including the 200 individual medley, 400 free, and 400 IM.
Before the Pan Pacific Championships, McIntosh had not competed in the 200 free internationally since the 2023 world championships. She aims to break the world record currently held by Titmus at the Australian Olympic trials in June 2024.
In the men’s 100m backstroke event, Blake Tierney from Saskatoon clinched the gold medal with a time of 53.18 seconds, edging out his competitors. Tierney expressed satisfaction with his performance, acknowledging the need for further improvement.
Tierney’s victory marked his first international gold medal, attributing his success to a year of dedicated training. He also holds the Canadian record in the 100m backstroke with a personal best of 52.95.
Following Tierney’s success, Taylor Ruck added to Canada’s medal tally with a bronze in the women’s 50m butterfly final and another bronze in the 100m backstroke event. Ruck set a Canadian record in the 50m butterfly and showcased her competitive spirit throughout the competition.
The Canadian team secured a bronze in the 4×100 medley relay event, with Ruck, Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson, and Finlay Knox contributing to the podium finish. The United States and Australia claimed gold and silver, respectively, in the relay race.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, witnessed remarkable performances from Canadian swimmers, with McIntosh, Tierney, Ruck, and the relay team showcasing their talent on the international stage.
