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Summer McIntosh, the world record-holder in the women’s 400-metre freestyle, missed qualifying for Friday evening’s A final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, Calif.
In position to finish second to Australia’s Lani Pallister in a morning heat, McIntosh was narrowly beaten to the wall, placing third and ninth overall in four minutes 8.56 seconds, 14 seconds over her record time. Only the top eight advance to the medal final at 10:07 p.m. ET.
Instead, the 19-year-old Canadian star from Toronto says she’ll swim in the B final at 10:01 p.m. along with teammate Ella Cosgrove, who was 13th overall.
The live stream will be available at CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
“I take full responsibility for my misjudgment in this morning’s heats,” McIntosh wrote on Instagram. “I will see you all in the B final tonight and thank you for your support.”
WATCH | McIntosh going through ‘highs and lows’ at Pan Pacs:
Summer McIntosh fails to qualify for 400m freestyle final at Pan Pacific swimming champions
Summer McIntosh won her first-ever Pan Pacific title in the women’s 400-metre individual medley in Irvine, Calif., but a day later missed the A final in the 400-metre freestyle.
Last June, McIntosh set the new record of 3:54.18 at the Canadian swimming trials in Victoria, eclipsing the mark set by the now-retired Ariarne Titmus (3:55.38) of Australia in 2023 at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
Friday’s A final outdoors at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center was being billed as a battle between American record-holder Katie Ledecky, Pallister, and McIntosh.
Ledecky was tops in qualifying in 4:03.48 while Pallister was fourth (4:05.22).
McIntosh made her Pan Pacs debut Wednesday in the women’s 200 free and took silver in 1:53.86, nearly 2-10ths behind Pallister, who clocked a championship record 1:53.67.
The Canadian followed with a pair of medals Thursday, shattering the championship record in the 400 individual medley with a 4:28.01 clocking. She also teamed with Mary-Sophie Harvey, Emma O’Croiniin and Brooklyn Douthwright to take bronze in the women’s 200 free relay.
On Saturday, McIntosh is scheduled to compete in the 200 IM.
WATCH | McIntosh ‘happy’ to win 400m IM gold medal:
Summer McIntosh believes she was ‘capable of more tonight’
Summer McIntosh spoke with CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux after winning gold in the women’s 400m individual medley at the 2026 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.