Summer McIntosh of Canada makes it two gold medals in two days at the World Swimming Championships
Summer McIntosh is off to a perfect start at the Swimming World Championships in her attempt to win five individual gold medals, a feat only achieved by American legend Michael Phelps.
The 18-year-old Canadian took the 200-metre individual medley on Monday, clocking 2:06.69. The victory matched the gold she won on Sunday in the 400m freestyle. Alex Walsh of the United States claimed the silver in 2:08.58, with the bronze going to Mary-Sophie Harvey of Canada in 2:09.15.
The winning time trailed McIntosh's world record of 2:05.70.
Yu Zidi, a Chinese 12-year-old, finished fourth in 2:09.21, just missing a medal as she astounds the swim world with her times. She is also due to compete in the 400m individual medley (IM) and 200m butterfly, probably her strongest events.
McIntosh will chase gold in the 400m IM, 800m freestyle, and 200m butterfly over the next six days in Singapore.
Gretchen Walsh broke through on Monday with the first gold in Singapore for the United States, taking the 100m butterfly in 54.73.
READ: World Swimming Championships: McIntosh motors to 400m freestyle crown, Australia revel in relay golds
The silver medalist a year ago in Paris, Walsh was just off her world-record time of 54.60 set earlier this year. Roos Vanotterdijk of Belgium took silver in 55.84 and Alexandria Perkins of Australia won bronze in 56.33.
Walsh acknowledged in a post-race interview at poolside that the American team had been hit with a bout of what team officials called 'acute gastroenteritis.' It was picked up at a training camp in Thailand prior to their arrival in Singapore. U.S. officials have confirmed the outbreak but have given few details.
'It was not easy, and I'm just really proud of myself,' Walsh said, thrilled to be under 55 seconds. 'It took a lot of guts. I just wanted to go out there and do it for my team, just represent the flag well. It came out of somewhere, but I'm really, really happy.'
Two other finals wrapped up Monday's schedule.
ALSO READ: Yu Zidi of China reaches World Swimming Championships final aged 12
Qin Haiyang, the world champion in 2023, defeated Paris Olympic winner Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy in the 100m breaststroke. Qin clocked 58.23 to give China its first gold in Singapore, with the Italian swimmer finishing in 58.58. Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan took bronze in 58.88.
'I've been injured, and it's not been easy to get back to my best,' Haiyang said. 'I'm at best at 70 per cent. I'm probably lucky. This definitely helps with my confidence.'
In the men's 50m butterfly, Maxime Grousset of France edged out Noe Ponti of Switzerland. Grousset clocked 22.48, with Ponti finishing in 22.51. Thomas Ceccon of Italy took bronze in 22.67.
Related Topics
Summer McIntosh
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
5 hours ago
- India Today
Thomas Muller joins MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps after Bayern Munich exit
Former Bayern Munich and Germany forward Thomas Muller has signed for Major League Soccer side Vancouver Whitecaps, ending one of the most storied one-club careers in modern football. The 35-year-old, who departed Bayern at the end of last season following the expiry of his contract, joins the Canadian outfit for the remainder of the 2025 MLS deal includes an option to extend Mller's stay as a designated player for the 2026 season - a status that exempts a player's salary from counting towards the club's wage cap. To secure his services, the Whitecaps acquired his MLS discovery rights from FC Cincinnati in exchange for $200,000 (149,000) in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM), $100,000 (75,000) in 2026 GAM, and a conditional $100,000 (75,000) in 2026 GAM. advertisement Muller's move is being hailed as a landmark signing for the Whitecaps, who are currently second in the Western Conference, just one point adrift of leaders San Diego with ten regular season matches remaining. Unlike many European stars who have opted for marquee American markets such as Los Angeles, New York, or Miami, Muller has chosen a path less travelled - one that signals ambition rather than a mere swansong."I'm looking forward to coming to Vancouver to help this team win a championship," Muller said in a statement released by the club. "I've heard great things about the city, but first and foremost I'm coming to win. I've had great conversations with [sporting director] Axel Schuster and [head coach] Jesper Sorensen, and now I can't wait to play in front of the supporters at BC Place."Muller began his journey with Bayern Munich as a youth player in 2000, eventually becoming the face of the club through nearly two decades of unprecedented domestic and European success. He made a club-record 756 appearances, scoring 250 goals and registering 268 assists, while collecting 33 major trophies - including 13 Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, two Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Muller was capped 131 times for Germany, scoring 45 goals. He was instrumental in their 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil and won the Golden Boot at the 2010 tournament in South Africa. His tally of ten goals in World Cup finals places him among the top scorers in the competition's final appearance for Bayern came as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup quarter-finals last month - a fitting curtain call marking his 756th and final match in arrival in MLS also completes something of a full-circle narrative: while Canadian talent Alphonso Davies made the move from Vancouver to Bayern in 2019, Muller now travels in the opposite direction, albeit in the twilight of his German forward will officially join the Whitecaps upon receipt of his international transfer certificate, visa, and work permit. While the move will undoubtedly elevate Vancouver's profile ahead of the city's role as a 2026 FIFA World Cup host, club officials have stressed this is no mere publicity 35, Muller's best years may be behind him, but his influence on and off the pitch - as a leader, a winner, and one of football's most intelligent attackers - could be just the edge Vancouver need in their pursuit of a first-ever MLS Cup.- EndsMust Watch
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Recharged and revitalised — Nikhat Zareen 2.0
'Hyderabad is known for two things: the delicious biryani and its very own boxing ki rani.' Nikhat Zareen's wit, which is as sharp as her punches, was in full flow at an event in Hyderabad recently when she one-upped the emcee with a quick lesson in how to work on his introductions. And yet, in that quip, was also an indication of how Nikhat views herself and a gentle reminder to everyone that her self-confidence, which had taken a beating a year ago in Paris, has been rebuilt. Last year, having exited the Paris Olympics much earlier than expected, Nikhat was understandably distraught. Time has passed and this Nikhat is wiser and kinder to herself. 'There are a lot of things that have happened in the past. I don't want to focus on negatives. I just want to focus on the positive things that I have learned from Paris. It was a memorable competition for me. Not everyone gets the chance to represent India at the Olympics. I count myself lucky that at least I had the opportunity to go to the Olympics,' she said in a chat with The Hindu. Not written in the stars If the Paris Olympics taught Nikhat anything, it is that there are many more factors beyond hard work and self-belief that contribute to clinching an Olympic medal. 'Paris was my first experience at the Olympics. I used to hear a lot about the Olympics from my seniors, about how it is not an easy event, how winning other competitions is easier. It's not easy because once you go there, there are a lot of expectations from you and a lot of pressure from everyone,' she said. 'But when I went to the Olympics, what I experienced is that it's not just about working hard and having that belief in you that you can win medals. Sometimes it's also about destiny, it's also about luck. Sometimes that also matters a lot in your journey.' When she landed in the French capital, Nikhat had her eyes on two boxers: China's Wu Yu and Turkey's Buse Naz Cakiroglu. While she was far from afraid of facing them, she also did not want to meet either until the very end. Fate, however, had other plans. A series of unfortunate events 'My only hope was that these two boxers should not face me in the initial rounds and that they should face me in the semifinals or the final. Unfortunately, I faced one of them, the Chinese girl, in the early rounds. It was bad luck,' she said, recalling her defeat to the then reigning Asian Games champion. That was not the only thing that went wrong for her there. 'That bout was in the morning at 11 o'clock. There was no time for recovery, and we also had no air conditioning in Paris. If you take everything, it was quite clear that it (succeeding there) was not written in my destiny,' Nikhat brushed off with a laugh. Her otherwise bindaas and steely persona dropped and she admitted, not for the first time, that she let herself go after the Paris Olympics. 'As soon as I came back from Paris, I ate everything at home. I ate everything that I do not usually eat. I gained 7 kgs as soon as I came back, within one month. I know that's very unhealthy, but what can I do? That time, my mindset was like that. I didn't care about anything. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to go anywhere,' she explained. She was coaxed out of this rut first by Bella, the golden retriever she and her sister adopted, and then by a trip away from home, where she could recharge her spirits away from the cacophony of daily life. 'I sat and thought that this was not going to help me. It would only spoil me. I needed to get out of that zone. I do not want to overthink and stay in the shadow of disappointment. I didn't want to be in that disappointment phase. I want to move on and come back stronger. I'm in that phase of life. So I decided to go on a trip to Kashmir, which really helped me to come back.' In her enthusiasm to get back on track, she began to work twice as hard and picked up a meniscus injury, which pushed her to the sidelines for almost four months. She returned to the ring at the Elite Women's Boxing Tournament in Hyderabad, her focus being on joining the elite national camp. The two-time World champion and home favourite made it to the final in the 51kg category, but had to pull out before her bout with Jyoti due to a minor injury. 'Sometimes I feel like meri kismat hi kharaab hai (my destiny is bad)! Maybe no one is as unlucky as I am.' 'These challenges break me, but they also make me stronger. Each obstacle makes me stronger and hungrier to achieve my goals. It's an interesting journey going on in my life right now. I am enjoying whatever life is throwing my way. I always tell myself, 'Nikhat, you are stronger. You are stronger than ever. You can handle this.' Always.' Nikhat also credited Sunny, a Sports Authority of India coach, with whom she began working this year, for helping her get back on course. 'I spoke to the federation and TOPS about needing a coach and finally decided to work under Sunny. I was training in ASI Pune for five months under him, and he has helped me regain my fitness levels. He has played a major role after the Paris Olympics in helping me get back into the national team.' Present perfect The 29-year-old is just an Olympics old but has learnt the hard lesson of compartmentalising the intensity of the ring. Living in the present, she admits, is as imperative to her success in the ring as it is to her peace outside it. 'I know what I want in my life. At the same time, I just don't want to be blindly focused on that because when you don't get that, then you're totally shattered. That is what happened in Paris. Every time in my mind, there was only the thought of winning a medal. I left everything for it. I didn't eat junk food for so long. I didn't focus on eating sweets because I followed a strict diet. But what happened in Paris? I got broken. Literally broken. I'm pushing myself every day, telling myself that whatever has happened in the past is in the past. Let's see what the future holds for me. Paris has taught me to focus on the present. I don't care what the future holds for me, what it brings in my life.' The two big events on this year's calendar are the World Boxing Championships and the Boxing World Cup, while the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is already on the back of everyone's minds. 'I just don't want to put pressure on myself like, 'Oh, what will happen in the World Championship? What will happen in LA?' No, I just want to live in the present and give my 100% in training and just enjoy my workouts, enjoy the game. I don't want to ruin my present thinking about the future. I just want to enjoy my training, enjoy my life. Nikhat is too much of a free spirit to allow room for regret and realises that finding joy in life need not be on pause just to accommodate sporting excellence. 'Being an athlete, you have to be focused and disciplined. But at the same time, I have my life also. I know that once I leave boxing, when I look back, I'll regret that didn't do this and that. At the same time, I also want to live to the fullest. I want to do everything. I want to win a medal, I want to work hard, and I want to enjoy life. Because you only live once.' Nikhat has now made it to the Indian team heading to Liverpool, England, for the World Boxing Championships in September, where she will be in action on the international stage for the first time since the Paris Olympics. 'I'm working hard again. I am seeing this as the start of my Olympic cycle. So I'll keep pushing myself. This is my first competition after the Paris Olympics, and I'll have butterflies in my stomach when I go there. 'But once I enter the ring, my mind will be set only on winning that match and the competition.' Nikhat forced her way onto the scene as a teenager, taking a circuitous route to the top, via stardom at the sub-junior nationals and Youth World Championships and ostracism for daring to challenge the legendary Mary Kom. She remained undeterred then and is even more resolute now. Amidst all the doubters and critics, she cuts a very confident figure, like a lone show of human will in the path of history. 'I'm still that Nikhat Zareen who has that hunger to achieve and make the country proud. 'I'm happy that I'm finally back in the national team. Now the focus is on winning the medal.'
United News of India
9 hours ago
- United News of India
Boxing: Neeraj, Ishan Kataria, Yatri Patel, Priya to fight for gold after convincing wins in semis
Bangkok, Aug 6 (UNI) Neeraj (men's 75kg) and Ishan Kataria (men's 90+kg), Yatri Patel (women's 57kg), Priya (women's 60kg) registered convincing victories to reach the finals of their respective weight categories in the U22 Asian Boxing Championships 2025 here in Thailand today. Neeraj banked on his speed and counter attacks to defeat Kyeongho Bang of South Korea 5:0 to become the first Indian boxer to make it to the summit clash on Wednesday. Ishan Kataria then joined him in the final when he used his big frame and strong punches to dominate Chen Chen of China as the referee had to stop the contest in the third round as the Chinese was getting battered. Yatri Patel then became the first Indian women boxer to reach the final as she used the left-right combination punches to great effect to dominate Vietnam's Thi Nhung Quand to bag a 5:0 unanimous verdict in the women's 57kg semifinals. A few minutes later, Priya also came up with a dominating performance to overpower Uzbekistan's Odinakhon Ismoilova to reach the women's 60kg final. The U19 and U22 Asian Boxing Championships, which are being held simultaneously, provides India's rising stars a platform to showcase their skills and determination against some Asia's toughest opponents. India has fielded a strong contingent of 40 boxers — 20 in each age group — with a perfect mix of proven champions and potential talents who have impressed in the domestic circuit. Among the four other semi-finalists in the morning session, Rockey Chaudhary was unlucky as the referee did not allow him to continue in the second round as he suffered cuts over both his eyebrows against Iran's Sam Estaki. Harsh (60kg) and Mayur (90kg) took the fight to their respective opponents but could not finish on the right side of the split verdict from the judges. Harsh went down 1:4 against Uzbekistan's Shohruh Abdumalikov while Mayur lost to Shakhzod Polvonov of the same country. Ankush, the other boxer in fray, went down 0:5 against Sanzhar-Ali Begaliyev of Kazakhstan. All the four boxers will bring home a bronze medal. In the evening session, Bhawna Sharma could not rekindle her quarterfinal form and went down 1:4 against Robiyakhon Bakhtiyorova of Uzbekistan in the women's 48kg weight category. Also finishing with the bronze medals were Parthavi Grewal (women's 60kg), Parnjal Yadav (women's 65kg) and Shruti (women's 75kg) after they lost their respective semi-final bouts. UNI BM
