Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on a gold medal in the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, finishing second by just 0.02 seconds behind China’s Yu Yiting, who set a championship record. The event took place in Irvine, Calif., where American Alex Walsh claimed the bronze.
During the race, Yiting led with a strong performance, setting a fast pace early on, but McIntosh fought back, showcasing her skills in the different strokes. Ultimately, Yiting managed to hold off McIntosh in the last few meters, securing the gold.
This marks McIntosh’s third individual medal at the championships, having previously won gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle. She also contributed to Canada’s bronze medal in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh expressed her disappointment but acknowledged the lessons learned from the experience. The 19-year-old, who holds the world record in the event, looks forward to further growth and improvement in the upcoming seasons.
In another notable event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage clinched the gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke, surpassing reigning Olympic champion Kate Douglass. Lepage’s victory came as a surprise, with her setting a personal best time. Canada’s Sophie Angus finished in eighth place in the same event.
Canada concluded the championships with a total of 13 medals, including three gold, four silver, and six bronze, marking their most successful performance since 1997. The United States led the overall medal tally, followed by Australia and Canada.