At the Pan Pacific championships in Irvine, California, Canadian swimmers Taylor Ruck and Summer McIntosh had contrasting performances on Friday night.
Ruck secured a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter butterfly event and later claimed bronze as part of the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team. These were her fourth and fifth medals at the competition, respectively.
In the 100m butterfly, the 26-year-old from Kelowna, B.C., achieved a personal-best time of 56.71 seconds, coming in second behind American Gretchen Walsh, who finished in 55.15 seconds. Australian Alexandria Perkins took the bronze with a time of 56.75 seconds.
Ruck expressed her satisfaction with her performance, mentioning that she focused on relaxation and trusting her body to deliver. She had previously won medals in the women’s 50m butterfly, 100m backstroke, and the women’s 4x100m medley relay.
On the other hand, McIntosh faced disappointment after failing to qualify for the A final in the women’s 400m freestyle event despite winning the B final. She took responsibility for the misjudgment that led to this outcome, expressing frustration and determination to improve.
In other events, Canadians Blake Tierney and Ethan Ekk excelled in the men’s 200m backstroke, capturing silver and bronze, respectively. Tierney also won the men’s 100m backstroke, marking his first international gold medal.
Ruck continued her success by guiding the Canadian team to a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay event. The U.S. team claimed gold in the women’s relay, while the Australian team took silver.
The Canadian men’s 4x100m freestyle team narrowly missed a podium spot, finishing fourth behind the U.S., Australia, and Japan teams.
McIntosh, despite her setback, remains focused on her upcoming races, including the 200m IM, where she holds world records and is a reigning champion.