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On day 2 of the TYR Pro Swim series meet, Summer McIntosh posted the fastest time of the season in the 200 fly. The 18-year-old managed to touch the wall in 2:04.00 to set a new world-leading time and break the Pro Swim record. She took eight-tenths of a second off the previous mark set by Regan Smith in 2024.
Notably, with this performance, McIntosh yet again claimed a win over Regan Smith by 2.87 seconds. 23-year-old Smith placed second in 2:06.87 followed by Rachel Klinker who finished third in 2:10.73.
Previously, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, McIntosh beat Regan Smith to win the Olympic gold in the 200 fly. McIntosh' won the event with the second fastest time in history, 2:03.03. At the Short-Course championships, the 18-year-old again edged out Smith to clinch a win and a new world record with a 1:59.32 finish.
In a previous article, I wrote about how Summer McIntosh's versatility has helped her become more successful in mid-distance events, including the 200 fly. At the 2023 Worlds, she defended her gold in the fly event, posting a time of 2:04.06. In January 2024, the swimmer kicked off her season with a time of 2:05.73 at the Pro Swim series. This was followed by her stellar performance at the Olympic trials, where she posted a time of 2:04.33 and eventually bagged the Olympic gold in 2:03.03.
McIntosh is currently the second-best performer in the 200 fly after China's Liu Zige, who still holds the world record in the event, posting a time of 2:01.81 during the super suit era of 2008-2009.
In the women's 100-meter freestyle, Simone Manuel claimed the win. At her first long-course meet since the Olympics, the 28-year-old placed first in 53.23, followed by Rylee Erisman at 53.83. Manuel and Erisman, who were separated by only two hundredths of seconds, were the only two swimmers to go under 54.00 during the finals.
Manuel, who was "14 weeks out of the water" after clinching two medals at the Paris Olympics, is currently training with Bob Bowman, focusing on the 200 free.
"My biggest goal (in 2025) is just having fun and taking the pressure off of myself," Manuel said.
In the 100-meter breaststroke, five-time Olympic medalist Kate Douglass prevailed as the winner. Maintaining her momentum from last year, Douglass held off teammate and world record holder Lilly King to touch the wall in 1:06.51. King placed second in 1:07.13.