Canadian swimmers Taylor Ruck and Summer McIntosh had contrasting performances at the Pan Pacific championships in Irvine, California. Ruck secured a silver medal in the women’s 100m butterfly and later added a bronze as part of the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, marking her fourth and fifth medals of the competition. Her personal-best time of 56.71 seconds in the 100m butterfly placed her second behind American Gretchen Walsh, who finished in 55.15 seconds. Australian Alexandria Perkins claimed the bronze with a time of 56.75.
Ruck expressed her satisfaction with her performance, stating, “This one [the women’s 100m butterfly] was a lot of fun.” She emphasized the importance of rest and trust in her body during the competition. In earlier events, Ruck secured a third-place finish in the women’s 50m butterfly final, a bronze in the 100m backstroke, and another bronze as part of the women’s 4x100m medley relay team.
On the other hand, McIntosh faced disappointment after winning the B final of the women’s 400m freestyle event. Despite being the world-record holder, she failed to qualify for the A final due to a misjudgment during the morning heats. McIntosh took responsibility for the error, expressing frustration and determination to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
In the men’s events, Canadians Blake Tierney and Ethan Ekk claimed silver and bronze, respectively, in the men’s 200m backstroke. Tierney won the men’s 100m backstroke earlier in the competition, marking his first international gold medal. Japan’s Yumeki Kojima secured the gold in the men’s 200m backstroke.
Ruck continued her success by guiding Canada to a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay event. The U.S. team clinched the gold in the event, followed by Australia with the silver. Meanwhile, the Canadian men’s 4x100m freestyle team narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth behind the U.S., Australia, and Japan teams.
McIntosh, despite her setback, will compete in the 200m IM event, where she holds world records and titles. The Canadian swimmers showcased their talent and determination at the championships, with Ruck and Tierney achieving notable successes in their respective events.