Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on the gold medal by 0.02 seconds in the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. The Toronto native, who is the reigning Olympic and world champion, 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.
Yu Yiting started strong and was on world-record pace in the butterfly leg, while Regan Smith briefly took the lead in the backstroke. Yu regained the lead in the breaststroke leg and managed to hold off a charging McIntosh in the final stretch. This marked McIntosh’s third individual medal at the event, adding to her gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle. She also contributed to Canada’s bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging it as one of her better swims but also noting areas for improvement in the upcoming season. The 19-year-old swimmer holds the world record in the event with a time of 2:05.70 set at the 2025 Canadian trials.
In another event, Canadian Alexanne Lepage secured a surprise victory in the women’s 200m breaststroke final, outpacing reigning Olympic champion Kate Douglass. Lepage led the race from start to finish, touching the wall in a personal best time of 2:21.73. Douglass finished second in 2:22.57, with South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett claiming the bronze in 2:22.97.
Canada concluded the championships with a total of 13 medals, including three gold, four silver, and six bronze, marking its most successful performance at the Pan Pacific Championships since 1997. The United States topped the medal standings with 50 medals, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada with 13.
In other notable results, Australian swimmer Sam Short clinched the men’s 1,500m freestyle title, setting a championship record with a time of 14:33.97. The men’s 50m freestyle was won by Jamie Jack of Australia, while American Jack Alexy secured the silver.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships witnessed several outstanding performances and unexpected victories, showcasing the immense talent and competitiveness among the world’s top swimmers.