Summer McIntosh, the current world record holder in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, did not qualify for the A final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. Despite being in a position to secure the second spot behind Australia’s Lani Pallister in the morning heat, McIntosh finished third with a time of 4 minutes 8.56 seconds, placing her ninth overall, 14 seconds slower than her record time. China’s Fan Yaqi, a 15-year-old, clinched the last spot for the final with a time of 4:08.36.
The Canadian swimmer, a 19-year-old star from Toronto, expressed her regret for her performance in the morning heats, taking full responsibility for the outcome. McIntosh announced that she and her teammate, Ella Cosgrove, who finished 13th overall, would be competing in the B final at 10:01 p.m. The live stream of the event can be accessed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
In a statement on Instagram, McIntosh thanked her supporters and acknowledged her misjudgment in the heats. She assured her fans of her participation in the B final later that evening.
Last June, McIntosh set a new record of 3:54.18 in the women’s 400-meter freestyle at the Canadian swimming trials, surpassing the previous record set by retired Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus in 2023. The highly anticipated A final at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center featured top contenders like American record holder Katie Ledecky, Lani Pallister, and McIntosh. Ledecky secured the top qualifying position with a time of 4:03.48, while Pallister placed fourth with a time of 4:05.22.
McIntosh, who had a successful debut at the Pan Pacifics with a silver in the women’s 200 free, continued her impressive performance by breaking the championship record in the 400 individual medley and winning bronze in the women’s 200 free relay. She is set to compete in the 200 IM on Saturday at the championships.