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McIntosh Dominates 400 free, Sets Promising Tone for World Championships
Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh kicked off the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore wiht a commanding victory in the women’s 400-meter freestyle, clocking a winning time of 3:54.18.This performance marks a notable achievement for McIntosh, as she had previously not secured gold in this event at either the Olympics or prior world championships, despite holding the world record.
Following her 400m freestyle triumph, McIntosh continued her strong showing by qualifying first in the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:07.39. American swimmer alex Walsh secured the second qualifying spot in that event with a time of 2:08.49. The final for the 200m individual medley is scheduled for Monday.
“I’ve never done a double like that,” McIntosh commented on her demanding schedule. “I think the 400 free, at past world championships and Olympics, I haven’t been at my best. And I haven’t been where I wanted to be. So, to finally stand in the center of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet.” She further expressed confidence in her current form, stating, “I think I’m at my best. I’m in the best shape of my life. So now I just have to act on that and put it into all my races.”
A notable surprise on the opening day was the performance of 12-year-old Yu Zidi from China, who qualified seventh fastest for the 200m individual medley final. Unaware of her advancement, Yu Zidi responded to the news by saying, “Oh, I’m in.” She added, “I will continue to work harder. I hope to find a breakthrough at these world championships and show my potential.” Reflecting on the competitive atmosphere, she noted, “You can feel it’s quite intense. I try not to think so much and just give it my all.” yu Zidi’s potential may lie even more in the 400m individual medley and the 200m butterfly.
The United States team is reportedly facing challenges, with officials acknowledging that some members contracted “acute gastroenteritis” during a training camp in Thailand before arriving in Singapore. Nikki warner, a spokesperson for USA Swimming, declined to specify the number of affected athletes, citing health confidentiality regulations.
in the men’s 400-meter freestyle final, Lukas Martens of Germany claimed the gold medal with a time of 3:42.35, narrowly defeating Sam Short of Australia by a margin of 0.02 seconds. Kim Woomin of South Korea earned the bronze medal with a time of 3:42.60. Martens is the reigning Olympic champion in this event and also holds the world record of 3:39.96.McIntosh, who previously won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics, is also slated to compete in the 800m freestyle later in the meet, an event anticipated to be a highlight, where she will face off against Katie Ledecky. Beyond the 400m freestyle and 800m freestyle, McIntosh is also aiming for gold in the 200m and 400m individual medleys, as well as the 200m butterfly. The article notes that Michael Phelps is the only swimmer to have achieved five individual gold medals at a single world championships.Sunday’s relay events also saw unexpected outcomes for the United States, who were considered favorites in both. The Australian women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team secured gold with a time of 3:30.60, just ahead of the United States, which finished in 3:31.04. The Netherlands took bronze in 3:33.89. In the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, Australia again claimed the top spot with a time of 3:08.97. Italy finished second in 3:09.58, while the United States secured the bronze medal in 3:09.64.
