Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh narrowly missed out on winning gold in the women’s 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. She was edged out by China’s Yu Yiting by just 0.02 seconds, settling for a silver medal. Yu set a championship record with a time of 2:07.45, while American Alex Walsh claimed the bronze with a time of 2:07.66.
Yu started strong, pacing under the world-record time in the butterfly leg before American Regan Smith took the lead during the backstroke. However, Yu regained the lead in the breaststroke and managed to hold off McIntosh in the final meters. This marked McIntosh’s third individual medal of the outdoor meet, following her gold in the 400m medley and silver in the 200m freestyle. Additionally, she contributed to Canada’s bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.
Reflecting on the race, McIntosh expressed her disappointment but acknowledged the learning experience. She holds the world record for the event with a time of 2:05.70 achieved during the 2025 Canadian trials.
In another event, fellow Canadian Alexanne Lepage secured the gold in the women’s 200m breaststroke, defeating reigning Olympic champion Kate Douglass. Lepage led the race from start to finish, setting a lifetime best of 2:21.73. Douglass finished second with a time of 2:22.57, while South Africa’s Kaylene Corbett claimed the third spot in 2:22.97.
Canada concluded the championships with a total of 13 medals (three gold, four silver, six bronze), marking their most successful performance since 1997. The U.S. topped the overall medal standings with 50 medals, followed by Australia with 35 and Canada.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships also saw Taylor Ruck setting a new Canadian record in the women’s 50m freestyle, clocking 24.23 to finish fourth. Kate Douglass broke the world record twice in one day, setting a new mark of 23.19 in the event. Ruck expressed her joy at seeing the results of her hard work and dedication.
Moreover, Australian swimmer Lani Pallister caused a major upset by defeating Katie Ledecky in the women’s 800m freestyle, marking Ledecky’s first international loss in the event. Pallister set a time of 8:06.10, erasing Ledecky’s previous championship record.
In the men’s events, Sam Short of Australia won the 1,500m freestyle, while Jamie Jack clinched the 50m freestyle title in a championship record time of 21.35.
The Pan Pacific Championships showcased exceptional performances from swimmers around the world, setting new records and creating memorable moments in the pool.
