Swimming worlds: Summer McIntosh wins 200 IM for second gold in as many days

The Guardian

3 days ago

Two days. Two gold medals.
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-meter individual medley on Monday, clocking 2:06.69. The victory matched the gold she won Sunday in the 400 freestyle. Alex Walsh of the United States claimed the silver in 2:08.58 with bronze going to Mary-Sophie Harvey of Canada in 2:09.15.
The winning time trailed McIntosh's world record of 2:05.70. And she was not content.
'Going in tonight, my goal was to get my hand on the wall first,' McIntosh said. 'So to get that done is good. I'm not super happy with my time. But honestly, at a world championships, my goal is just to go as fast as I can against my competitors. Still happy with the gold and hoping to keep up my streak next time.'
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 400 IM and 200 butterfly, probably her strongest events.
McIntosh will chase three more golds in the 400 IM, 800 free and the 200 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 100 butterfly in 54.73.
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 claimed 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 arrival in Singapore. U.S. officials have confirmed the outbreak but have given few details and did not name swimmer nor say how many were affected.
'With the illness that's been going on – I faced it back the last couple days – my body has just been fragile, and I think that I've needed to give myself grace,' Walsh said. 'Luckily, I had the morning to recover and rest, and I used that, and that helped me enormously going into tonight, so I tried to make the most of it.
'It was not easy, and I'm just really proud of myself,' Walsh added, 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.'
Walsh's older sister Alex was almost even with McIntosh after 150 meters, swimming a strong breaststroke leg to make it a race.
'I was really excited on the breaststroke leg,' she said. 'I could see her and I knew I was kind of gaining on her because breaststroke is my best stroke. I was really excited and, obviously coming home on the freestyle, that's definitely where my biggest weakness (is).'
Two other finals wrapped up Monday's schedule.
Qin Haiyang, the world champion in 2023, defeated Paris Olympic winner Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy in the 100 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%. I'm probably lucky. This definitely helps with my confidence.'
In the men's 50 butterfly, Maxime Grousset of France edged Noe Ponti of Switzerland. Grousset clocked 22.48 with Ponti finishing in 22.51. Thomas Ceccon of Italy took bronze in 22.67.
In the four semi-finals, Paris Olympics bronze medalist Luke Hobson of the United States led 200 free qualifying (1:44.80), with Paris champion David Popovici of Romania in fourth (1:45.02).
Hubert Kós of Hungary headed a very fast men's 100 backstroke in 52.21. American Regan Smith led the women's 100 backstroke (58.21) ahead of two-time Australian Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown (58.44).
Kate Douglass of the United States swam a personal best in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.49) and will be the top seed in Tuesday's final.