Toronto’s Summer McIntosh made her debut at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California, by clinching the second spot in the women’s 200m freestyle event. The 19-year-old touched the wall in 1:53.86, trailing behind Australia’s Lani Pallister, who set a championship record with a time of 1:53.67. Erika Fairweather from New Zealand secured the third position with a time of 1:55.05.
After the race, McIntosh expressed some self-criticism, stating that she believed she didn’t start fast enough and had some issues with her turns. Despite the disappointment, she remains determined to learn from the experience and work towards her ultimate goal of winning gold at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
During the race, Pallister initially led by a small margin, but McIntosh managed to take the lead at the 100m mark before eventually being overtaken by Pallister towards the end of the race. McIntosh, who primarily focuses on the 400m freestyle, mentioned that training for the 200m event aligns well with her regular training schedule.
In addition to the 200m freestyle, McIntosh will also compete in the 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle, and 400m individual medley at the championships. She had previously qualified for the 200m freestyle final with a time of 1:55.85, aiming to beat the world record set by retired swimmer Titmus.
McIntosh holds multiple individual world records in long-course events and recently set a new record in the 200m butterfly at the Canadian trials. Despite facing setbacks due to illness, she has recovered and is now focused on performing well at the Pan Pacifics.