McIntosh, Ledecky set for world swimming showdown in 800-metre freestyle

Summer McIntosh of Canada celebrates after winning a gold medal in the women's 200-metre individual medley final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

SINGAPORE -- Summer McIntosh geared up for a swimming duel with American star Katie Ledecky, while Blake Tierney fell agonizingly short of the podium Friday at the world championship.

McIntosh races for a fourth straight gold in Singapore in Saturday’s 800-metre freestyle.

It could be the Canadian’s toughest challenge yet as McIntosh needs to beat reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder Ledecky for another gold.

McIntosh posted the third-fastest time in Friday’s heats at eight minutes 19.88 seconds behind Ledecky (8:14.62) and Lanni Pallister of Australia (8:17.06).

McIntosh and Ledecky will race in lanes beside each other in the final scheduled for 8:17 a.m. ET.

“Any time I get to race Katie, whether it’s in the 800, which I haven’t done in a while or the 400 or any event really, any time we get a matchup it’s lots of fun,” said McIntosh. “She pushes me to reach bigger goals, so I’m really excited to race her tomorrow night.”

The 18-year-old from Toronto beat Ledecky in the 400-metre freestyle on opening day for the first of her three gold medals, which is the most by a Canadian at a world championship.

McIntosh was also victorious in the 200-metre individual medley and 200-metre butterfly.

Her stated goal for Singapore was five wins in her five individual races -- the 400 individual medley is Sunday -- which is a feat only U.S. great Michael Phelps has achieved at a single world championship.

Ledecky is the only woman to win four gold medals at a long-course world championship, which she did in 2015 in Kazan, Russia.

Also Friday, Toronto’s Josh Liendo and Montreal’s Ilya Kharun booked spots in the men’s 100-metre butterfly final Saturday. The two shared the Olympic podium in Paris last year, with Liendo taking silver and Kharun the bronze. Liendo turned in the second-fastest time in the semifinals of 50.24 seconds, while Kharun was fourth in 50.39.

Saskatoon’s Tierney finished fourth in the men’s 200-metre backstroke in 1:55.09, which was just under half a second short of a medal.

“This is my first time ever making a semi, let alone a final, in the 200 back,” Tierney said.

The 23-year-old broke the Canadian record twice -- in the heats (1:55.17) and again in the semifinal (1:55.03) -- to qualify for the final.

“The plan was really just to treat each swim like it was my only swim, so if I didn’t make a semi or final, I’d be able to walk with my head high,” Tierney said. “It was a little more taxing than maybe some of the other guys who maybe cruised some in the morning. But three 1:55s, I’m pretty happy with that.”

Hungary’s Hubert Kos won gold in 1:53.19, followed by South Africa’s Pieter Coetze (1:53.36) and France’s Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (1:54.62).

Canada has won six medals at the world aquatics championships -- five in swimming and one in high diving.

Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, B.C., finished 13th in women’s 50-metre butterfly, and Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm was 13th in the women’s 200-metre backstroke.

Singapore offers a prize purse of US$3.1 million for pool and open-water swimmers, plus a $30,000 bonus to swimmers who break world records.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025.