Summer McIntosh‘s pursuit to win five solo gold medals at the swimming world championships this week stays on observe after the Canadian sensation withstood a plucky problem from American Alex Walsh to seize her second title on Monday evening.
McIntosh, 18, triumphed within the 200-metre particular person medley on evening two in Singapore to make sure her bid to develop into solely the second swimmer to win 5 particular person gold medals at a single long-course world championships remained intact.
After hitting the midway mark main Walsh by a full physique size — to be exact, 1.36 seconds — McIntosh turned for the ultimate time with a bonus of solely 0.33 of a second.
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Walsh had produced a robust breaststroke leg through which she break up 37.03 seconds — significantly faster than the 38.06 recorded by McIntosh.
“We weren’t anticipating this,” stated 9 caller Mat Thompson.
“We thought Summer season would come out and blow the sector away. Can Alex Walsh trigger an enormous upset right here?”
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Summer season McIntosh holding off Alex Walsh, and the Canadian celebrity carrying a beaming smile after grabbing her second gold medal of the world championships. 9, Getty
Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe added: “They’re each on hearth right here. Summer season McIntosh has bought a challenger.”
However McIntosh motored by means of the freestyle leg in 30.16 seconds to succeed in the wall effectively earlier than her US rival, who break up 31.72.
“She was below risk with 50 [metres] to go however she has blown Alex Walsh away, and Summer season is shining brightly in Singapore,” Thompson stated.
McIntosh received gold with a time of two minutes, 6.69 seconds (2:06.69), with Walsh selecting up silver in 2:08.58 and Canadian teammate Mary-Sophie Harvey accumulating bronze in 2:09.15.
At simply 12 years of age, Chinese language prodigy Zidi Yu took fourth and completed solely 0.06 of a second off the rostrum.
McIntosh is eighteen, Walsh is 23 and Harvey 25.
From left to proper: Silver medallist Alex Walsh, gold medallist Summer season McIntosh and bronze medallist Mary-Sophie Harvey. Getty
The best male swimmer of all time, US legend Michael Phelps, is the one athlete who’s received 5 particular person gold medals at a single long-course world championships — a feat he achieved in Melbourne in 2007.
Having received gold within the 400m freestyle on Sunday evening and one other gold within the 200m particular person medley on Monday evening, McIntosh should now triumph within the 200m butterfly, 800m freestyle and 400m IM to finish the feat.
The three-time Olympic gold medallist must defeat the best feminine swimmer of all time, American icon Katie Ledecky, and within the US legend’s pet occasion no much less: the 800m freestyle.
Zidi Yu, the 12-year-old Chinese language prodigy, after ending simply 0.06 of a second off the rostrum on Monday evening. Getty
Ledecky has received the previous 4 Olympic 800m titles and is eyeing off her seventh world championship gold medal within the 16-lap occasion.
The one girl who’s crushed Ledecky in an 800m remaining since 2010 is McIntosh, who did so at the age of 17 in February last year.
“My aim was to get my hand on the wall first, so to get that accomplished is sweet,” McIntosh stated after her win on Monday evening.
“I am not tremendous pleased with the time, however actually, at a world championships, my aim is simply to go as quick as I can towards my rivals.
“Nonetheless pleased with the gold and hoping to maintain up my streak subsequent time.”
Night time two of the world championships additionally noticed Australia’s Alexandria Perkins decide up bronze within the 100m butterfly.
In doing so, the Sunshine Coast swimmer received her maiden particular person medal at a worldwide championship.
US swimmer Gretchen Walsh, the youthful sister of Alex Walsh, captured gold in 54.73 seconds, forward of Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk (55.84) and Perkins (56.33).
“I could not be comfortable, actually,” Perkins stated.
“I attempted to not count on something going into that remaining. I simply wished to place my greatest foot ahead and be happy with what I’ve accomplished.
“Coming away with the medal is only a bonus.”
