IRVINE, Calif. — Canada’s Summer McIntosh answered a disappointing night with a dominant performance Thursday, taking the women’s 400-metre individual medley at the Pan Pacific Championships and setting a new championship mark of 4 minutes, 28.01 seconds.
McIntosh bounces back
The 19-year-old from Toronto, who had come up short in the 200-metre freestyle earlier in the meet, paced the race from the opening strokes and finished well clear of the field. She had qualified second-fastest for the final and at one point in the multi-stroke event was under the split that corresponds with her own world-record pace.
- Gold: Summer McIntosh (Canada) — 4:28.01 (championship record)
- Silver: Jenna Forrester (Australia) — 4:31.50
- Bronze: Agostina Hein (Argentina) — podium from fastest prelim time
The victory provided a clear statement after McIntosh had been beaten by Australia’s Lani Pallister in the 200 free on the opening night of the four-day meet. While McIntosh admitted disappointment after the 200, she pushed that aside in the longer medley, where her versatility across butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle is her trademark.
Podium and other highlights
Australia’s Jenna Forrester settled for silver in the 400 IM in 4:31.50, while 18-year-old Agostina Hein of Argentina converted a fast preliminary swim into a bronze medal finish. Hein had entered the final with the quickest time from the heats.
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summer McIntosh (CAN) | 4:28.01 |
| 2 | Jenna Forrester (AUS) | 4:31.50 |
| 3 | Agostina Hein (ARG) | — |
Beyond the Canadian victory, the session produced several notable outcomes across sprint and distance events.
- Women’s 100 free: Meg Harris of Australia took the title in 52.60 seconds, edging American Gretchen Walsh, who touched in 52.78 after being a hair under world-record pace at the turn. Olivia Wunsch of Australia finished third. U.S. veteran Simone Manuel placed fourth.
- Men’s 100 free: The United States went 1-2 as Jack Alexy won in 47.14, lowering his own championship record that had been 47.40 from prelims; teammate Patrick Sammon was second at 47.62, with Guilherme Caribe of Brazil third.
- Women’s 100 breaststroke: American McKenzie Siroky earned her first international medal, out-touching China’s Tang Qianting in 1:05.32 to Tang’s 1:05.46.
- Men’s 400 IM: Japan’s Tomoyuki Matsushita won in 4:06.75, erasing the championship mark previously held by Ryan Lochte from 2010.
“Next time I come back to the U.S. I’m going to get gold again,”
The quoted line came from Matsushita, speaking through a translator after his victory.
What it means for McIntosh and Canada
McIntosh’s championship record underscores her status as one of Canada’s leading hopes in the pool. Her ability to respond following a loss in the 200 free speaks to mental resilience that complements her physical gifts. While she said she was disappointed with her performance in the shorter race, the 400 IM win will serve as a reminder that she remains a dominant international presence across multiple events.
For Canada Swimming, the result is both validation and momentum. McIntosh’s gold adds to the nation’s medal prospects and offers a lift heading into the remainder of the Pan Pacific Championships.
Competitive meets like Pan Pacs provide a global measuring stick; Thursday night in Irvine, McIntosh ensured Canada had its name at the top of the scoreboard.
