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The Province
an hour ago
- The Province
Summer McIntosh wins first gold medal at worlds in her quest for five
Published Jul 27, 2025 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 4 minute read From left to right: Silver medallist China's swimmer Li Bingjie, gold medallist Canada's swimmer Summer Mcintosh, and bronze medallist U.S.' swimmer Katie Ledecky celebrate on the podium of the women's 400m freestyle swimming event during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on July 27, 2025. Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP via Getty Images SINGAPORE — For Summer McIntosh of Canada, it's one gold medal won at the swimming world championships with four to go. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors McIntosh is aiming to win five gold medals in individual events at the worlds in Singapore, and the first one came Sunday in the 400-metre freestyle on the first of eight days in the pool. Only legendary American Michael Phelps has ever won five individual medals in the worlds. He also did it at the Olympics. McIntosh won but did not break her own world record, winning in 3 minutes, 56.26 seconds. Li Bingjie of China took silver (3:58.21) with a late charge to leave American Katie Ledecky (3:58.49) with bronze. A year ago in the Olympics, Ledecky also took bronze in the 400. McIntosh was the silver medalist with gold for Australian Ariarne Titmus of Australia. Titmus is taking a year off and did not swim and has since lost her world record in the event to McIntosh. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. For Ledecky, a nine-time Olympic gold medalist, it was her 27th medal in the world championships in an astonishing career. She won her first Olympic gold in 2012 in London, and then started adding world championship medals beginning in Barcelona in 2013. About 25 minutes after winning the 400, McIntosh came back and qualified first in the 200 individual medley, clocking 2:07.39. American Alex Walsh was second in 2:08.49. That final is Monday. 'I've never done a double like that,' McIntosh said. '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 centre of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet.' The Canadian added: 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.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The shock of the first day might have been Chinese 12-year-old Yu Zidi, who was the seventh fastest in qualifying and will swim in the final. Asked her reaction, she replied: 'Oh, I'm in,' unaware she had advanced. 'I will continue to work harder,' she added. 'I hope to find a breakthrough at these world championships and show my potential.' Asked for her reaction to the competition, she added. 'You can feel it's quite intense. I try not to think so much and just give it my all.' The 200 IM might not even be her best event with the Chinese likely quicker in the 400 IM and the 200 butterfly. Meanwhile, the United States is swimming with what appears to be a weakened team after officials acknowledged Sunday that some members of the team had come down with 'acute gastroenteritis' at a training camp in Thailand prior to arriving in Singapore. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Nikki Warner, a spokeswoman for USA Swimming, would not say how many fell ill in Thailand. She cited health confidentiality rules. She said all American swimmers had traveled to Singapore. In the other early individual final Sunday, Lukas Martens of Germany won the men's 400 free in 3:42.35, edging Sam Short of Australia who was .02 behind. Bronze went to Kim Woomin of South Korea in 3:42.60. Martens is the defending Olympic champion and also holds the world record of 3:39.96. McIntosh, who won three gold medals a year ago at the Paris Olympics, holds the world record in the 400 free — 3:54.18. She will face off again with Ledecky in the 800 free later in the meet, probably the most anticipated race in Singapore. Though she holds the 400 free world record, McIntosh had failed to win gold in the event in the Olympics or previous world championships. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. McIntosh will also be after gold in the 200- and 400-individual medleys, and the 200 butterfly. Famed Olympian Michael Phelps is the only swimmer to have won five individual gold medals at a world championships. The other two gold medals Sunday were in the relays. The United States was the favourite in both and failed to win either. The Australian women took gold just ahead of the United States in the 4×100 freestyle relay. The Aussies clocked 3:30.60 with 3:31.04 for the US. The Netherlands took bronze in 3:33.89. On the men's side in the 4×100, Australia also took gold in 3:08.97. Italy took silver in 3:09.58 with bronze for the United States in 3:09.64. There were three other semifinal results on Sunday. Qin Haiyang of China took the 200 breaststroke in 58.24 with Paris Olympic champion Nicolo Martinenghi second in 58.62. The Italian was initially disqualified for moving on the blocks, but was later reinstated on appeal. Gretchen Walsh of the United States and Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium tied in the 100 butterfly in 56.07, and Maxime Grousset of France took the men's 50 fly in 22.61. Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Vancouver Canucks Sports Vancouver Whitecaps News BC Lions
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shares wisdom and 'aura' with aspiring basketball players
It was a very special day for some young basketball players in Toronto, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in town for an event hosted by his father Vaughan's non-profit. The NBA all-star, MVP, and champion shared some words of wisdom, as well as his 'aura' with those who attended. CBC's Lane Harrison has the story.
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Pospisil gets a heartfelt sendoff at National Bank Open
Vasek Pospisil's last-ever professional match was a gruelling three-setter that ended in a standing ovation Sunday night at the National Bank Open, followed by a teary farewell speech. On a hot, humid evening, before a big opening night crowd, the Vernon, B.C. native stretched out his farewell night of pro tennis as best he could. He winced through pains and crushed some winners too, before ultimately losing to Argentina's Bagnis Facundo, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. 'I have mixed emotions when it comes to this sport,' Pospisil reflected afterward. 'It's a really, really tough sport, physically and mentally, and at some point you burn out. At least I did.' From Vernon, B.C. to Wimbledon, Vasek Pospisil's tennis career proves 'Anything is Pospisil' With the loss, the 35-year-old Canadian called time on an 18-year tennis career that saw him reach a career-high singles ranking of No. 25, and a win a Wimbled doubles title. As a long-serving member of Team Canada, he also helped deliver the country's first-ever Davis Cup title in 2022. Pospisil was also an outspoken advocate for athlete rights, founding the first Professional Tennis Players Association alongside Novak Djokovic in 2019. The veteran player from Vernon, B.C received a main-draw wild card for the event in Toronto to play his farewell. A large group of his friends and family attended Sunday's farewell match. Another Canadian trailblazer, doubles legend Daniel Nestor, was there watching. Pospisil's mom Mila was there, and his dad Milos too, who coached him until he was 20. They made lengthy father-son trips by car or in a mobile home to save money in the early days. Canada had welcomed the couple and their two older sons after they escaped the former Czechoslovakia. Vasek was born in Vernon shortly after, in 1990. Pospisil had been largely absent from tournaments in recent years as he rehabbed various injuries. Prior to Sunday, he'd played just two singles matches in 2025, both at Challengers in Canada, each losses in qualifying. His last ATP Tour-level appearance was the 2024 National Bank Open in Montreal, where he lost in the first round. In this edition Sunday night, for his finale, Pospisil drew a fellow 35-year-old for an opponent, a player ranked 772nd who came through qualifying. Bagnis was leading 4-2 in the opening set when Pospisil left the court with a trainer to treat an apparent groin injury. The near-full Sobey's Stadium cheered the Canadian's return a few minutes later. 'I wish I could have not pulled my muscle in the fifth game of the match and enjoyed the match a bit more,' Pospisil would later say, with a chuckle. The 6-foot-4 player from B.C appeared to wince and step gingerly while moving about the court when the match resumed. Pospisil has had several injuries throughout his career and has spent much of the past few years rehabbing. During his best years on the ATP Tour, Pospisil had made the quarterfinals in singles at Wimbledon and reached three tour-level singles finals. Longevity is hard in this physically demanding sport. It's gruelling to come back when you've been away. Pospisil lost the first set and then appeared to find a second wind while breaking Bagnis early in the second and giving his family a big fist pump as the Toronto crowd got a chance to bellow. The Canadian delivered a huge winner down the line to make it 5-3, clenching his fist and roaring like he used to, as his family rose to their feet. He forced a third set and hollered again. Pospisil tired down the stretch. The third set had some of those beauty drop shots that helped Pospisil succeed in doubles. Fans chanted his name. Ultimately the Canadian ran out of steam. After the loss on Sunday, Canadians rose to their feet to salute the long-standing player. 'It's kind of tough to win a match like that on one leg. Of course, I wasn't going to retire or pull out, I had to finish my last match,' he said. Then a thank-you video played inside Sobey's Stadium with a montage of Pospisil's biggest career moments. Through tears, he then delivered an emotional thank-you speech to everyone seated in his player box – from family to coaches and Davis Cup teammates. 'Thanks for telling me over the years that a Pospisil never quits,' he said to his father. When asked in his post-match press conference why he always prioritized playing for his country while many ATP players choose not to make the time for it, the freshly retired player responded frankly: 'I don't understand players that don't play Davis Cup and don't play Olympics. I genuinely don't,' said Pospisil. 'I think it's just a no-brainer to play for your country, and it's good for everybody, good for you, good for your energy. . . Okay, prioritize a week of rest to have you fresh for one of a thousand tournaments that you're going to play in your career, or go and represent your country… I think, a lot of times, it comes down to money for these guys, and that's just not the right way to look at it.' Pospisil is the first of two significant Canadian tennis players to mark their official retirements at the current NB Open. Genie Bouchard will also call it a career at the WTA edition in Montreal.
