Summer McIntosh, the current world record holder in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, fell short of qualifying for the A final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. Despite being in contention to secure second place behind Australia’s Lani Pallister in the morning heat, McIntosh was narrowly out-touched, finishing third and ninth overall with a time of 4:08.56, which was 14 seconds slower than her record-breaking time. China’s Fan Yaqi, aged 15, secured the final spot in the 10:07 p.m. ET final with a time of 4:08.36.
The 19-year-old Canadian standout from Toronto acknowledged her misjudgment in the morning heats and confirmed her participation in the B final scheduled for 10:01 p.m. alongside teammate Ella Cosgrove, who finished 13th overall. The live stream of the event can be accessed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
In a statement on Instagram, McIntosh expressed her accountability for the outcome and appreciated the support from her fans. She mentioned, “I take full responsibility for my misjudgment in this morning’s heats. I will see you all in the B final tonight and thank you for your support.”
Last June, McIntosh set a new record of 3:54.18 at the Canadian swimming trials in Victoria, surpassing the previous mark set by the now-retired Ariarne Titmus of Australia. The anticipated A final at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center was expected to feature a showdown between American record-holder Katie Ledecky, Pallister, and McIntosh. Ledecky claimed the top spot in the qualifiers with a time of 4:03.48, while Pallister secured fourth place with a time of 4:05.22.
McIntosh made her debut at the Pan Pacific Championships on Wednesday with a silver in the women’s 200 freestyle, finishing close behind Pallister. She continued her success on Thursday, setting a championship record in the 400 individual medley and earning bronze in the women’s 200 free relay with her teammates. McIntosh is set to compete in the 200 IM on Saturday.
The event has seen McIntosh experience both highs and lows, but she remains determined to showcase her capabilities in the upcoming competitions.