Summer McIntosh, the current world record holder in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, fell short of qualifying for the A final on Friday evening at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. During the morning heat, McIntosh was in contention to secure the second position behind Australia’s Lani Pallister but was narrowly out-touched, finishing third and ninth overall with a time of 4 minutes 8.56 seconds, which was 14 seconds slower than her record-breaking time. China’s 15-year-old swimmer, Fan Yaqi, claimed the final spot for the 10:07 p.m. ET final with a time of 4:08.36.
The Canadian standout, aged 19 and hailing from Toronto, expressed her intentions to compete in the B final at 10:01 p.m., alongside her teammate Ella Cosgrove, who placed 13th overall. The live stream of the event can be accessed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
In a statement on Instagram, McIntosh took full responsibility for her performance in the morning heats, acknowledging her misjudgment and thanking her supporters for their encouragement. Despite missing the A final, McIntosh previously set a new world record of 3:54.18 at the Canadian swimming trials in Victoria last June, surpassing the previous record held by retired Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus.
The highly anticipated A final at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center featured a showdown between American record holder Katie Ledecky, Lani Pallister, and McIntosh. Ledecky secured the top spot in qualifying with a time of 4:03.48, while Pallister finished fourth with a time of 4:05.22.
Earlier in the week, McIntosh participated in the women’s 200-meter freestyle, earning a silver medal with a time of 1:53.86, closely trailing Pallister who set a championship record of 1:53.67. She continued her success by setting a new championship record in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:28.01 and also contributed to a bronze medal win in the women’s 200-meter freestyle relay alongside Mary-Sophie Harvey, Emma O’Croiniin, and Brooklyn Douthwright.
Upcoming, McIntosh is set to compete in the 200-meter individual medley on Saturday. The journey of McIntosh at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships has been filled with highs and lows, showcasing her resilience and competitive spirit.