The 2023 US Open Swimming Championship has never gone out of the surprises. This time, the event has borne extra importance due to the Paris Olympics 2024 coming up next year. The swimming prodigy, Summer McIntosh, knew that very well. In an ultimate encounter with Kaity Ledecky in 400m free in the US Open Swimming this time, Summer came victorious. Last Friday night went down in a similar line. 

Those performances set the tone for Summer McIntosh on a high note. However, in her latest event in the US Open Swimming Championship, the Canadian had to face an insurmountable challenge from an ASU swimmer, trained under Bob Bowman.

Summer McIntosh’s bronze in the US Open Swimming

For Summer McIntosh, the fourth day of the US Open Swimming Championship 2023 didn’t go well. On the day she had to face Regan Smith in the 200m back to clinch the gold. However, Regan Smith continued her fiery form to see herself going past Summer McIntosh. She bagged the gold medal after clocking 2:04.27. Summer McIntosh set her behind another favorite, Claire Curzan, to win the bronze medal in the event. As per the tweet of SwimSwam Live, the time difference between Regan and Summer remained 2 seconds. The tweet went with the caption, “Regan Smith wins the women’s 200 back in a new U.S. Open meet record!” 

Previously, in the 400m free, Summer McIntosh made history in the US Open Swimming Championship 2023. She not only went past the tournament favorite, Katie Ledecky, in the event, but also made the championship record on that day. Later she won the 400m IM, defeating the same Regan Smith. But the defeat in the 200m back deterred her from owning a rare feat in the US Open Swimming Championship.

First defeat for Summer McIntosh in the championship 

In the initial phase of this season, Summer McIntosh claimed, “In swimming, you don’t have to make anything look pretty,” to the Olympics. com. The occasion had come out differently then. But the statement came full circle on the eve of her 200m backstroke event in Greensboro swimming arena. 

Read more: Summer McIntosh And Chase Kalisz Win Gold At US Open Swimming Championship

That evening witnessed Regan Smith’s complete domination making Summer McIntosh’s challenge much smaller. The 3-time Olympic medalist’s timing came as a record in the 200m backstroke event. However, that left Summer McIntosh nowhere near to her best outings, nor to make triple in a single US Open Swimming Championship in just 17 years of age. However, in her agony, the reigning world champion might find solace in Katie Ledecky’s omission from the Doha World Aquatics Championship, slated for 2024.

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