2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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- LCM (50m)
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The first night of finals at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore didn’t disappoint. Headlining the action was Canadian star Summer McIntosh, who finally struck gold in the 400 freestyle, one of her signature events and one gold that had narrowly slipped away in recent years.
Over the past three years, McIntosh had been knocking on the door: silver in 2022 with a breakthrough 3:59.39 to become the youngest swimmer ever under four minutes, a painful fourth-place finish in 2023 (3:59.94) despite holding the world record at 3:56.08, and another silver at the Paris Olympics (3:58.37). Each time, she came close. Tonight, she got it done.
Reflecting on her achievement and the challenge of swimming two events, McIntosh said, “While preparing mentally for this World Championships, I think tonight is my biggest night of the whole meet. So to come out with a gold medal and a really good, strong semifinal in the 200 IM, I’m really happy. I’ve never done a double like that, and I think at past World Championships and Olympics, I haven’t been at my best or where I wanted to be in the 400 free. So to finally stand in the center of the podium is promising for the rest of the meet.”
McIntosh set the tone early, going out with Australia’s Lani Pallister and American legend Katie Ledecky through the opening 150 meters. All three flipped at the halfway mark in 1:57s, but it was McIntosh who surged ahead on the third 100, beginning to separate herself as Pallister and Ledecky locked into a duel for silver.
With 100 meters to go, McIntosh was nearly two seconds off her own world record pace but well in control of the race. Behind her, China’s Li Bingjie was mounting an explosive charge. After overtaking a fading Pallister, she roared past Ledecky in the final 10 meters to claim the silver medal. In a historic finish, four women dipped under the 3:59 barrier.
Li touched in 3:58.21, nearly two seconds faster than her previous Chinese record of 3:59.99. Her closing speed was electric: 58.27 over the final 100, including a 28.67 on the last 50.
Ledecky, ever consistent, settled for bronze in 3:58.46, a bit off her season-best 3:56.81. Pallister, despite setting a new lifetime best of 3:58.87, was left in fourth, an unfortunate victim of one of the fastest 400 free finals in history. She now ranks as the fifth-fastest woman ever but three of the four ahead of her were in the water tonight.
McIntosh stopped the clock in 3:56.26, off her 3:54.18 world record from last month, but well clear of the field. It marked her first world title in the 400 free, a win built on patience, resilience, and drive. After three years of near misses, she simply got the job done.
Speaking about her mindset in the race, McIntosh said, “I was very relaxed, just based on how I’ve been feeling these past couple of months, and especially in warm-up today, I felt really strong. The 200 IM semifinal was so much fun in the ready room, just chilling. Honestly, this makes me want to do more doubles, and it was definitely an interesting kind of stimulus.”
Other Day 1 North American Highlights:
- As mentioned, McIntosh returned to the pool in the women’s 200 IM semifinals and clocked 2:07.39, leading all qualifiers by over a second. She broke the world record in this event last month at the Canadian Trials with a 2:05.70, demolishing her previous best of 2:06.56, which she set while winning Olympic gold in Paris. American Alex Walsh, the 2022 world champion, secured the second seed in 2:08.49. Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey, who had posted a lifetime best of 2:08.78 to place second at the Canadian Trials, advanced in sixth with 2:10.19.
- No North American men advanced to the 400 free final. However, Canadian Ethan Ekk had a breakout performance in prelims, dropping a huge career best of 3:46.01 to finish ninth, just 0.13 seconds outside the final. The Stanford commit entered the day with a best time of 3:49.57, which he recorded to win the Canadian Trials last month. Team USA’s Rex Maurer, who swam a U.S. Open record of 3:43.33 to win U.S. Nationals the same week, placed 11th in 3:46.38.
- In the men’s 100 breaststroke, American Josh Matheny was the only North American swimmer to qualify for the final. The Indiana-based swimmer posted a personal best of 59.15 to rank fifth overall, trimming 0.03 seconds off his previous best of 59.18 from the 2023 U.S. Nationals.
- World record holder Gretchen Walsh tied for the top spot in the women’s 100 butterfly semifinals, posting 56.07 alongside Belgium’s Roos Vanotterdijk. Walsh, who trains at Virginia, had gone faster in the morning with a 55.68 to lead the heats. She withdrew from the 4×100 freestyle relay after her semifinal swim, raising questions about her current health status. Earlier this year, she became the first woman ever to break 55 seconds in the event, clocking 54.60 at the Fort Lauderdale Pro Series. She later backed it up with a 54.76 to win the U.S. National title. The Olympic silver medalist is now aiming for her first individual long course world title.
- Brazil’s Gui Caribe was the only non-European to qualify for the men’s 50 butterfly final. Known more for his 50 and 100 freestyle, Caribe dipped under his previous best of 22.95, hitting 22.91 to qualify seventh. The Tennessee-based swimmer will likely need to drop another two or three tenths to contend for a medal.
- In the women’s 4×100 free relay, Team USA claimed silver in 3:31.04, just behind Australia’s winning time of 3:30.60. The American quartet of Simone Manuel, Kate Douglass, Erin Gemmell, and Torri Huske delivered a strong effort despite Huske dealing with illness and Walsh withdrawing. Team USA was the only North American team to reach the final.
- In the men’s 4×100 free relay, the U.S. team, consisting of a Cal Bear, a Texas Longhorn, and two ASU Sun Devils, led through the first 300 meters but ultimately settled for bronze in 3:09.64. Jack Alexy (47.24), Patrick Sammon (47.03), Chris Guiliano (47.43), and Jonny Kulow (47.94) made up the quartet.
- Australia’s Kyle Chalmers closed in 46.53, and Italy’s Manuel Frigo posted 47.34 to anchor their teams past the Americans on the final leg.
- Canada placed eighth in the men’s 4×100 free relay with a time of 3:12.89. The team featured Ruslan Gaziev (48.37), Josh Liendo (47.08), Antoine Sauve (48.18), and Filip Senc-Samardzic (49.26). They held around fourth or fifth place through the first 300 meters but faded on the anchor leg. Three of their four swimmers train in the NCAA system, with Gaziev based at Ohio State, Liendo at Florida, and Senc-Samardzic at ASU.
For complete results, in-depth analysis, and coverage of performances from all countries, be sure to check out our full session recap.
North American Medal Table Through Day One:
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | U.S. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Overall Medal Table Through Day One:
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 |
Australia
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | U.S. | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 5 | China | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | South Korea | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
I love how much she talks about enjoying the challenge!!!
Hopping out of the pool less than 30 seconds after the race for the next one was stone cold too; she is so locked in.
Like the boss that she is♡
Ledecky only needs one more World Championships medal in the 400 to have the same number of WC medals in one race as Federica Pellegrini does (in the 200). While not impossible, I think it’ll actually be the 800 that she matches that incredible feat, since I think it’s unlikely she’d miss the podium both this year AND in 2027.
The 800 might not even be close. Summer might win it by 2-3 seconds. I know KL cannot be counted out but I think this will be Summer’s race to lose.
It’s technically Ledecky’s race to lose, it is her regularly performed event and she holds the WR.
Summer is the underdog in the 800, has barely raced it the last 2 years and not in a major event since Tokyo Olympics.
I understand what you are saying, if history is our guide; however, KL faded in the last 25m of the 400, which is something she rarely does. It would be great if she wins it in Singapore, but I don’t think she will.
Her last 50 wasn’t bad, though. It was sub 30, not like 2019 where she stumbled home in a little over 31 seconds. And she’s better at the 800. This is likely to be an interesting race for once, especially with Li and Pallister. Let’s enjoy it.
KL looked similar in this race to her 400 bronze medal performance in Paris.
For Summer to win 800 free would be a huge and amazing feat, at the end of such a heavy week. I hope she succeeds.♡
Excellent race!
Congratulations Summer McIntosh!
I knew she would pull it off!♡
Canada is very proud.