Summer McIntosh, the world record-holder in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, did not qualify for the A final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. In the morning heat, McIntosh came in third behind Australia’s Lani Pallister, missing the opportunity to finish second and secure a spot in the A final. Her time of 4 minutes 8.56 seconds was 14 seconds slower than her record time. China’s Fan Yaqi, aged 15, clinched the eighth and final spot for the 10:07 p.m. ET final with a time of 4:08.36.
Despite the setback, the 19-year-old Canadian swimmer from Toronto, along with teammate Ella Cosgrove, will be competing in the B final at 10:01 p.m. McIntosh took to Instagram to express her accountability for the morning heat results and thanked her supporters for their encouragement.
Last June, McIntosh set a new record of 3:54.18 at the Canadian swimming trials in Victoria, surpassing the previous record set by the retired Ariarne Titmus of Australia. The highly anticipated A final at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center featured top qualifiers Katie Ledecky, Lani Pallister, and McIntosh. Ledecky led the qualifiers with a time of 4:03.48, while Pallister secured the fourth spot with a time of 4:05.22.
McIntosh, who made her Pan Pacs debut with a silver in the women’s 200 free, followed with strong performances in the 400 individual medley and the women’s 200 free relay, earning a pair of medals. She is set to compete in the 200 IM on Saturday.
The live stream of the event can be accessed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, allowing fans to follow McIntosh’s journey at the championships.