Summer McIntosh, the current world record holder in the women’s 400-metre freestyle event, did not qualify for the A final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. Despite being in a position to finish second in the morning heat behind Australia’s Lani Pallister, McIntosh was narrowly out-touched, securing third place and ninth overall with a time of 4 minutes 8.56 seconds, which was 14 seconds slower than her record time. China’s 15-year-old swimmer, Fan Yaqi, clinched the final spot for the evening final at 10:07 p.m. ET with a time of 4:08.36.
McIntosh, a 19-year-old Canadian standout from Toronto, expressed her disappointment but confirmed that she would be competing in the B final at 10:01 p.m. alongside her teammate, Ella Cosgrove, who finished 13th overall. The event will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. McIntosh took responsibility for her performance in the morning heats, acknowledging her misjudgment in a post on Instagram, and thanked her supporters for their encouragement.
In June, McIntosh set a new record of 3:54.18 at the Canadian swimming trials in Victoria, surpassing the previous record set by the now-retired Ariarne Titmus of Australia in 2023. The highly anticipated A final on Friday featured a showdown between American record-holder Katie Ledecky, Pallister, and McIntosh. Ledecky topped the qualifiers with a time of 4:03.48, while Pallister secured the fourth spot with a time of 4:05.22.
McIntosh, who made her Pan Pacs debut earlier in the week with a silver in the women’s 200 free, continued to impress, breaking the championship record in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:28.01. She also contributed to a bronze medal win in the women’s 200 free relay alongside Mary-Sophie Harvey, Emma O’Croiniin, and Brooklyn Douthwright. Looking ahead, McIntosh is set to compete in the 200 IM on Saturday.
The Canadian swimmer’s journey at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships has been a mix of highs and lows, showcasing her talent and resilience in the pool.