Summer McIntosh Secures Bronze in Thrilling 800-Metre Freestyle at World Swim Championships

At the world swim championships, Canada's Summer McIntosh competed in a tightly contested 800-metre freestyle event, ultimately taking home the bronze medal. The race showcased a fierce battle between McIntosh, Olympic champion Katie Ledecky from the U.S., and Lani Pallister of Australia. Ledecky emerged victorious, securing her seventh world title in this distance event.

During the course of the race, McIntosh was in a strong position, running second to Ledecky before attempting to take the lead as they approached the closing turns. However, Ledecky powered through in the final stretch, finishing with a time of eight minutes, 5.62 seconds, while Pallister was not far behind, less than four-tenths of a second away. McIntosh finished in third, crossing the wall 1.67 seconds after Ledecky, which curtailed her hopes of matching Michael Phelps’s record of five individual titles at a single world championship.

Despite the setback, McIntosh is eager to put this race behind her as she sets her sights on the 400-metre individual medley scheduled for Sunday. She acknowledged her status as a favorite in that event and expressed excitement about an opportunity to conclude the championships with a strong performance. Reflecting on her experience, McIntosh regarded the race as an important learning opportunity and reaffirmed her confidence going into her next competition. Overall, Canada has accumulated seven medals at the championships this year, with six being in swimming and one in diving.