Toronto’s Summer McIntosh kicked off her Pan Pacific Swimming Championships campaign with a second-place finish in the women’s 200-meter freestyle in Irvine, Calif. The 19-year-old clocked in at 1:53.86, trailing Australia’s Lani Pallister, who set a new championship record of 1:53.67. New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather secured the third spot with a time of 1:55.05. McIntosh expressed some disappointment with her performance, stating that she believes she can achieve a time of 1:52. Despite the setback, she remains focused on her ultimate goal of winning at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Throughout the race, McIntosh and Pallister exchanged leads, with McIntosh briefly taking the lead at the 100-meter mark. McIntosh, primarily known as a 400 freestyler, mentioned that training for the 200 freestyle aligns well with her overall training schedule. She also highlighted her upcoming events in Irvine, including the 200 individual medley, 400 free, and 400 IM.
In a separate event, Saskatoon’s Blake Tierney secured the gold in the men’s 100m backstroke with a time of 53.18 seconds, marking his first international gold medal. Tierney emphasized the importance of training in his success and expressed satisfaction with his performance. He holds the Canadian record in the event with a personal best of 52.95.
Taylor Ruck added to Canada’s medal count with bronze finishes in the women’s 50m butterfly and 100m backstroke. Ruck set a new Canadian record in the 50m butterfly, clocking in at 25.23 seconds. She later secured another bronze in the 100m backstroke final.
Additionally, the Canadian 4×100 medley relay team, consisting of Ruck, Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson, and Finlay Knox, clinched a bronze medal. The United States team took gold with a world-record time of 3:36.70, followed by Australia in second place.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships showcased outstanding performances from Canadian swimmers, including McIntosh, Tierney, and Ruck, who demonstrated their competitive prowess on the international stage.