Summer McIntosh Excels with 1:54.36 Victory in 200 Freestyle at Fort Lauderdale Open
Another victory from Summer McIntosh highlighted the third night of competition at the Fort Lauderdale Open, where the Canadian star picked up a victory in the 200-meter freestyle on Friday evening. One night after edging Katie Ledecky in a down-to-the-wire finish in the 400 freestyle, McIntosh came out on top at half the distance – and in dominant fashion.
Leading from the start, McIntosh pushed world-record pace during the front half of the race and ultimately clocked a time of 1:54.36, the seventh-fastest mark of her career. McIntosh finished comfortably ahead of the field, with Virginia’s Anna Moesch placing second in 1:56.55 and Simone Manuel taking third in 1:56.80. Ledecky was the fourth-place finisher behind a swim of 1:56.94.
McIntosh pressed the pace as soon as left the blocks, evidenced by her opening splits of 26.60 and 55.44. Those times put the 19-year-old under world-record pace after the first lap and just .31 back at the 100-meter mark. While McIntosh couldn’t maintain that speed during the back half of the race, her showing was superb and bodes well for what the next few months might hold.
This summer, McIntosh is expected to make the Pan Pacific Championships her primary focus. The meet is scheduled for the William Woollett Aquatic Center and a potential duel with Australian Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200 freestyle could be on the schedule. Of course, that scenario requires McIntosh to decide on the 200 freestyle among her many options. If McIntosh chooses to pursue the 200 freestyle, a chase of Ariarne Titmus‘ world record (1:52.23) would be likely. McIntosh owns a best of 1:53.65 in the event, but that time is ancient, posted at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka.
Gretchen Walsh, Kate Douglass Go 1-2 in 50 Butterfly
University of Virginia standouts Gretchen Walsh and Kate Douglass engaged in a two-woman showdown in the 50 butterfly, with Walsh emerging with the victory in a sharp time of 25.08. Douglass touched the wall in 25.24, a performance that moved her into a tie for eighth in the all-time rankings with Dutchwoman Ranomi Kromowidjojo.
Walsh is the No. 2 performer in history, thanks to her clocking of 24.66 at last year’s United States National Championships. Walsh is one of only two women to have gone sub-25 in the 50 fly, the other Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom (24.43). As for Douglass, her previous best was 25.34 and her second-place finish followed Night Two victories in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
In the men’s 50 fly, Ilya Kharun secured a comfortable triumph over Caeleb Dressel. Kharun, who is making a shift from Canada to the United States for international competition, checked in with a strong showing of 22.96. As for Dressel, her dropped more than a half-second from prelims and touched in 23.48.
In Other Action…
Two-time Olympic medalist Emma Weyant sped to a time of 4:35.23 to convincingly win the 400 individual medley, although runnerup Sadie Buckley opened eyes. The silver medalist in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Games and bronze medalist at the 2024 Paris Games, Weyant is set up well for this summer’s Pan Pacific Champs. Meanwhile, the 16-year-old Buckley recorded a swim of 4:39.79.
Estonia’s Eneli Jefimova put her speed on display in the 50 breaststroke, a 30.73 performance handing the North Carolina State star a victory over Ireland’s Mona McSharry (30.98) and the United States’ Emma Weber (30.99). Jefimova was faster during the morning prelims, thanks to a 30.64 clocking. She was joined as a winner in the 50 breast by Jack Kelly in 27.42.
In the men’s 200 freestyle, former Princeton star Mitchell Schott claimed an upset triumph as he went 1:46.70, the only sub-1:47 outing. Schott was followed in second place by Hubert Kos, the reigning Olympic champ in the 200 backstroke. Kos exhibited his range by clocking 1:47.29, a personal best. American Luke Hobson was the third-place finisher in 1:47.50. Kos won the 200 backstroke later in the session when he went 1:56.37, the only effort under two minutes.
