Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on a gold medal by 0.02 seconds in the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. The Toronto native settled for silver behind China’s Yu Yiting, who set a championship record with a time of 2:07.45. American Alex Walsh claimed the bronze with a time of 2:07.66.
During the race, Yu started strongly on the butterfly leg, followed by American Regan Smith taking the lead on the backstroke. Yu regained the lead on the breaststroke and managed to hold off McIntosh in the final meters. This marks McIntosh’s third individual medal at the outdoor meet, having won gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle. Additionally, she contributed to Canada’s bronze win in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh expressed her disappointment in not achieving her desired outcomes for the meet. She emphasized the need for reflection and improvement for the upcoming season. McIntosh, who holds the world record in the event with a time of 2:05.70 set in the 2025 Canadian trials, acknowledged her learnings and growth into her twenties.
In another event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage clinched gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke final, outdoing reigning Olympic champion Kate Douglass of the United States. Lepage led the race from start to finish, setting a personal best time of 2:21.73. Douglass finished second with a time of 2:22.57, while South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett secured third place in 2:22.97.
Canada wrapped up the championships with a total of 13 medals (three gold, four silver, six bronze), marking their most successful performance at the Pan Pacific Championships since 1997. The United States topped the overall medal standings with 50 medals, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada in third place.
The competition also saw Taylor Ruck of Canada breaking her own national record in the women’s 50m freestyle event, finishing fourth in a highly competitive field. Ruck expressed her satisfaction with her performance, highlighting the payoff of her hard work and training throughout the year.
Furthermore, Australian swimmer Lani Pallister caused an upset by defeating four-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky in the 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky’s first international loss in the event. Pallister set a new championship record with a time of 8:06.10, while Ledecky settled for silver with a time of 8:07.26.
The championships also witnessed notable performances in other events, including men’s races where Sam Short of Australia won the 1,500 free, and Jamie Jack claimed victory in the men’s 50 free. The overall competition showcased exceptional talent and fierce competition among top swimmers from around the world.