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World Championships: Teen Stars Summer McIntosh and Katie Grimes Lead 400 IM Qualifying
A fourth trip to the podium, and second visit to the top step, is looking quite likely for Canadian youngster Summer McIntosh. During the final preliminaries session at the World Championships in Budapest, the 15-year-old cruised to the top seed in the 400-meter individual medley behind a time of 4:36.15. While that time is seven seconds off the sub-4:30 McIntosh delivered earlier this year, she merely did what was necessary to book a lane for the final.
McIntosh, a Tokyo Olympian, has enjoyed a breakout performance on the international stage, thanks to a pair of individual medals and hardware as a member of the Canadian 800 freestyle relay that garnered bronze. In solo action, McIntosh was the champion of the 200 butterfly and finished second to Katie Ledecky in the 400 freestyle.
Earning the second seed for the evening session was American Katie Grimes, another of the world’s rising teens. Grimes checked in with a time of 4:36.68 and will race next to McIntosh at night. Grimes won the silver medal in the 1500 freestyle earlier in the meet and has enjoyed a rapid ascension in the 400 I.M.
Although the scenario is a longshot, Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu kept alive her pursuit of a fifth consecutive world title in the event. Hosszu advanced to the final as the fifth seed, off a morning mark of 4:39.15. The veteran won the 400 medley in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, and another crown would grant her entry to a club with just one member: Ledecky. On Friday, with her title in the 800 freestyle, Ledecky claimed her fifth straight gold. Hosszu also won the 400 medley at the 2009 edition of the World Champs.
Reigning Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant moved through in the No. 3 position. Weyant managed a swim of 4:38.52 and was followed in fourth by China’s Ge Chutong (4:38.95). Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympic titlist Yui Ohashi of Japan was sixth in 4:39.52.
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