Summer McIntosh clinched a gold medal on Thursday night at the Pan Pacific swimming competition, marking her first-ever triumph at the event. She outpaced Australia’s Jenna Forrester in championship record time in the women’s 400-meter individual medley held in Irvine, California. McIntosh, from Toronto, led the race with a time of four minutes and 28.01 seconds, completing the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle segments. Forrester secured the silver, trailing by nearly three seconds with a time of 4:31.50, while Agostina Hein from Argentina took the bronze with a time of 4:32.54. Previously, American Elizabeth Beisel held the Pan Pacs record time of 4:31.99 since 2014.
After the race, McIntosh expressed her thoughts to CBC reporter Devin Heroux, mentioning that she aimed to replicate her morning performance, which led to an easy and controlled butterfly segment. Despite feeling she could have done better, McIntosh was content with securing the victory for Canada. The Canadian national anthem sparked excitement among the crowd, especially a group of enthusiastic children in attendance, which McIntosh appreciated. In the women’s 4×200 freestyle relay, McIntosh contributed significantly, propelling Canada to a bronze medal alongside her teammates.
In the men’s 400 IM, Canadian swimmers Tristan Jankovics and Lorne Wigginton finished 7th and 8th, respectively, in a competitive field. Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita emerged victorious, setting a championship record. McIntosh’s compatriot, Taylor Ruck, achieved a fifth-place finish in the women’s 100 free event. Additionally, University of Calgary swimmer Alexanne Lepage delivered a personal best time in the women’s 100 breaststroke, nearing the Canadian record.
The evening also saw McIntosh’s involvement in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay, where Canada secured a bronze medal. McIntosh highlighted the joy of competing in relay races and expressed her determination to stay on the podium leading up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The competition featured several notable performances from Canadian swimmers across various events, showcasing their talent and dedication on the international stage.