Summer McIntosh shatters Pan Pacs record in 400m medley, beating Aussie Jenna Forrester
Canadian star, 19, takes nearly 4 seconds off championship mark in Irvine, Calif.
Summer McIntosh earned a gold medal Thursday night, her first-ever victory at the Pan Pacific swimming competition, defeating Jenna Forrester of Australia in championship record time in the women’s 400-metre individual medley in Irvine, Calif.
The Toronto athlete, who was on pace early on to lower her world record from last year, finished the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle in four minutes, 28.01 seconds.
asserted
who → shatter → minutes
Forrester was nearly three seconds behind in 4:31.50 for silver, while Agostina Hein of Argentina took bronze (4:32.54).
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Hein → take → 4:32.54
American Elizabeth Beisel held the previous Pan Pacs record time of 4:31.99 since 2014.
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Beisel → hold → 2014
"I wanted to attack the race coming off yesterday," McIntosh, referring to a silver medal in the 200 free on Wednesday, told USA Swimming.
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McIntosh → want → Swimming
"I was really pumped up.
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I → pump → ?
It's good to get the win."
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It → get → win
In the 200 free, McIntosh touched the wall in one minute 53.86 seconds, nearly 2-10ths behind Australia's Lani Pallister, who clocked a championship record 1:53.67.
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who → touch → record
"I don't think I was out fast enough.
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I → think → ?
My turns were still not right and I think I was just over-thinking it, rather than just racing," McIntosh told Devin Heroux of CBC Sports post-race.
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McIntosh → think → Sports
"You have to forget about it and focus on the next day and take it one race at a time, which is what I always try to do, good or bad," the Canadian added Thursday.
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Canadian → have → what
McIntosh believed she was "capable of more" in the medley but happy she touched the wall first.
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she → believe → wall
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After the race, the Canadian national anthem drew a roar and much excitement from a throng of youths in the crowd.
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anthem → know → crowd
"That group of kids up there [in the stands] is cute to see," McIntosh said.
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McIntosh → see → stands
"Even giving them a small wave, they went crazy.
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they → give → wave
It's an honour to give people a show every time [I race] and be part of that.
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I → give → that
I know all the swimmers here, that's their goal."
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that → know → swimmers
Later in the evening, McIntosh pulled Canada into third spot after two legs of the women's 4x200 freestyle relay, and Emma O'Croinin and anchor Brooklyn Douthwright were able to help keep Canada there for a bronze medal.
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O'Croinin → pull → medal
The Canadians, who had Mary-Sophie Harvey swim the opening leg, posted a time of 7:52.74, well back of victorious Australia (7:42.40 championship record) and the United States (7:43.10).
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Harvey → have → Australia
Harvey admitted to being nervous and not in peak form in the team's post-race interview with Heroux.
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Harvey → admit → Heroux
Australia led for all but 150 metres
"
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Australia → lead → metres
I knew I had to get [the job] done for the girls and I'm very happy we came away with the bronze," she said.
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she → know → bronze
"We want to stay on that [medal] podium until L.A. [and the 2028 Olympics]."
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We → want → L.A.
Australia led for all but 150 metres, with Inez Miller, Lani Pallister, Hannah Casey and Milla Jansen lowering the country's championship mark of 7:44.12 set at the 2018 Pan Pacs.
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Miller → lead → Pacs
Katie Ledecky swam the anchor leg for the U.S., but couldn't overhaul Jansen although she got within a body length in the closing metres.
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she → swim → metres
Erin Gemmell, Anna Peplowski, Rylee Erisman and Ledecky also went under the old championship mark.
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Gemmell → go → mark
"I've kind of struggled with the 200 individually from a flat start over the last couple years, but I always know I'll have something in me for the relay and I'll pull out a good split," Ledecky said.
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Ledecky → struggle → split
"I love swimming that anchor leg."
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I → swim → leg
McIntosh said she forgot how much fun she has competing in a relay race.
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she → say → race
Jankovics clocked 4:14.14, with Wigginton 80-100ths behind him.
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Wigginton → clock → him
Japan's Tomoyuki Matsushita won in 4:06.75, a championship record.
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Matsushita → win → 4:06.75
His time erased American Ryan Lochte's championship mark of 4:07.59 set at the 2010 Pan Pacs, also in Irvine.
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time → erase → Irvine
"Next time I come back to the U.S. I'm going to get gold again," a smiling Matsushita said through a translator.
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Matsushita → come → translator
Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, B.C., delivered a fifth-place finish in the women's 100 free.
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Ruck → deliver → free
The 26-year-old recorded a time of 53.16 seconds after going 53.69 to qualify for the final at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.
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old → record → Center
Meg Harris of Australia charged late, overcoming Gretchen Walsh in the final 25 metres to win in 52.60, 18-100ths of a second in front of the American sensation.
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Harris → charge → sensation
Harris's teammate, Olivia Wunsch reached the finish in 52.98 for the bronze medal.
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teammate → reach → medal
Ruck grabbed three bronze on the opening day of competition Wednesday in the women's 50 butterfly, 100 backstroke and was part of the 100 medley relay team with Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson and Finlay Knox.
University of Calgary swimmer Alexanne Lepage delivered a 1:05.94 personal best in the women's 100 breaststroke, 2-10ths off the Canadian record held by Annamay Pierse (1:05.74) since July 9 2009.
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Lepage → grab → July
Teammate Sophie Angus was also in the race and was seventh (1:06.70) following a 1:06.38 PB in the qualifiers.
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Angus → follow → qualifiers
Recently, the 27-year-old captured her first individual Commonwealth Games medal, tying for third in the women's 50 breaststroke.
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old → capture → breaststroke
Angus was born in Connecticut, but her parents are Canadian.
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parents → bear → Connecticut
…and 1 more, not listed.
