By Ian Ransom
PARIS (Reuters) - Canadian wunderkind Summer McIntosh is on track for her first Olympic gold medal after easing into the final of the women's 400 metres individual medley at the Paris Games on Monday.
The 17-year-old won her heat comfortably in four minutes and 37.35 seconds, some 13 seconds off her world record, to qualify third fastest behind Americans Emma Weyant (4:36.27) and Katie Grimes (4:37.24).
McIntosh won her first Olympic medal on Saturday's opening day with silver in the women's 400 metres freestyle won by Australia's Ariarne Titmus. The Canadian is red-hot favourite to win the medley final later on Monday.
"I'm pretty happy with it," McIntosh told reporters of her heat swim.
"I was just trying to get the heat out of the way and try to get a good lane heading into the final so that goal was accomplished.
"So, yeah, I'm excited for tonight."
As a strong gold medal chance in the women's 200m individual medley and 200m butterfly, McIntosh could emerge from the Paris pool as one of its brightest stars.
But not if backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown has her way.
The Australian is a big chance in the 200m IM and will also defend her 100 and 200m backstroke titles from Tokyo.
McKeown kicked off her campaign on day three, cruising into the 100m backstroke semi-finals with the third fastest time (58.48) behind pace-setting Americans Katharine Berkoff (57.99) and Regan Smith (58.45).
McKeown's battle in the backstroke with the Bob Bowman-coached Smith, who swiped the Australian's world record at U.S. Olympics trials last month, is tipped to be a highlight of the Paris swimming.
FIVE GOLD SESSION
A tight session of three events closed with an enthralling tussle in the men's 800m freestyle heats which saw a stacked field jostling for a spot in Tuesday's final and a couple of top contenders bombing out.
Ireland's first swimming world champion Daniel Wiffen topped the timesheet in 7:41.53 ahead of Tunisian surprise package Ahmed Jaouadi (7:42.07), with Tokyo Olympics runnerup Gregorio Paltrinieri third quickest.
Wiffen's time was a quarter of a second shy of the Olympic record (7:41.28) set by Tokyo bronze medallist Mykhailo Romanchuk at the 2020 Games.
"I've never been in this shape before in my life," said the confident Irishman.
"The time didn't actually surprise me at all. I actually thought I was going to be a bit faster."
The United States' Olympic champion Bobby Finke was safely through as fifth quickest, one behind Australia's Elijah Winnington who took silver in the men's 400m freestyle on day one.
There was no place for Australia's Sam Short, though, the World Championships silver medallist in Fukuoka last year finishing ninth.
Romanchuk also crashed out in 17th place and was gutted.
"Really heart-crushing because I didn't know the answer," the Ukrainian said. "So I'm so disappointed.
"Now it's time to do the analysis with the coach and to keep going and keep pushing to the 1,500 (metres freestyle)."
McIntosh's bid for the 400m IM title will be one of five golds in a bumper programme in the evening, which includes Titmus going for an unprecedented second successive 200m freestyle crown.
Romania's David Popovici will be favourite for the men's 200m freestyle, while American former champion Ryan Murphy will go for a second gold in the men's 100m backstroke.
South Africa's Tatjana Smith will target gold in the women's 100m breaststroke, three years after winning silver in the Tokyo event.
(Additional reporting by Alan Baldwin and Rohith Nair; Editing by Alison Williams)
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