Summer McIntosh shatters Pan Pacs record in 400m medley, beating Aussie Jenna Forrester

Canadian star, 19, takes nearly 4 seconds off championship mark in Irvine, Calif.

Summer McIntosh earned a gold medal Thursday night, defeating Jenna Forrester of Australia in championship record time in the women’s 400-metre individual medley at the Pac Pacific swimming competition in Irvine, Calif.

The Toronto athlete, who was on pace early on to lower her world record from last year, finished the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle in four minutes, 28.01 seconds. Forrester was nearly three seconds behind in 4:31.50 for silver, while Agostina Hein of Argentina took bronze (4:32.54).

American Elizabeth Beisel held the Pan Pacs record time of 4:31.99 since 2014.

"I wanted to attack the race coming off yesterday," McIntosh, referring to a silver medal in the 200 free on Wednesday, told USA Swimming. "I was really pumped up. It's good to get the win."

In the 200 free, McIntosh touched the wall in one minute 53.86 seconds, nearly 2-10ths behind Australia's Lani Pallister, who clocked a championship record 1:53.67.

"I don't think I was out fast enough. My turns were still not right and I think I was just over-thinking it, rather than just racing," McIntosh told Devin Heroux of CBC Sports post-race.

"You have to forget about it and focus on the next day and take it one race at a time, which is what I always try to do, good or bad," the Canadian added Thursday.

The 19-year-old is scheduled to race the 200 freestyle relay later Thursday.

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Teammate Taylor Ruck followed McIntosh with a fifth-place finish in the women's 100m free.

The Kelowna, B.C., native stopped the clock in 53.16 seconds after going 53.69 to qualify for the final at William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center.

Meg Harris of Australia charged late, overcoming Gretchen Walsh in the final 25 metres to win in 52.60, 18-100ths of a second in front of the American sensation. Harris's teammate, Olivia Wunsch reached the finish in 52.98 for the bronze medal.

Ruck, 26, grabbed three bronze on the opening day of competition Wednesday in the women's 50 butterfly, 100 backstroke and was part of the 100 medley relay team with Ingrid Wilm, Oliver Dawson and Finlay Knox.