Summer McIntosh smashes 10-year-old world record at Bell Canadian Swimming Trials
Summer McIntosh has set her second world record in three days at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials.
On Monday night, she swam to a time of 2:05.70 in the women’s 200m individual medley. The 18-year-old took 0.42 of a second off the nearly 10-year-old mark that had been set by Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships.
“It’s been one of those records that’s always been in the back of my mind since trials two years ago,” said McIntosh. I’ve been knocking on the door on this one. I’ve just tried to chip away, chip away at it. To finally do it, it’s kind of like ‘Wow, I’ve finally got that done’.”
It was in the 200m IM that McIntosh won one of her three Olympic gold medals last summer at Paris 2024. Her winning time there was 2:06.56, which was an Olympic, world junior, and Canadian record.
McIntosh reclaimed the world record in the 400m freestyle on the opening day of the Trials on Saturday, winning in 3:54.18. She followed up with a Canadian record 8:05.07 in the 800m freestyle on Sunday, which is the third-fastest time ever in the event, just 0.95 off the world record set by American Katie Ledecky in May.
READ: McIntosh reclaims world record on opening weekend of Bell Canadian Swimming Trials
“I’m really trying to take it one race at a time,” said McIntosh. “Really kind of cruising the heats and then coming to every final super locked in and focused.”
McIntosh also owns the long course world record in the 400m IM, having swam 4:24.38 at last year’s Trials. That event is on the schedule for Wednesday.
The Bell Canadian Swimming Trials, which continue through Thursday, are serving as the selection meet for the World Aquatics Championships which will take place in Singapore later this summer. The swimming competition at the worlds will be held July 26 to August 3.
In other results from Monday night, Penny Oleksiak won the women’s 50m freestyle in 24.89, a personal best time for her as she broke the 25-second mark for the first time. That earned her a spot on her fourth long course world championship team.
“I can see faster,” said the seven-time Olympic medallist. “It’s what I’ve been working on this year. I’m finally kind of getting there.
“I’m hoping we can make some leaps over the next month.”
Josh Liendo took the victory in the men’s 50m freestyle in 21.88. He was just 0.02 off the Olympic podium when he finished fourth in the event at Paris 2024.
“Over the years I’ve gotten more comfortable with this event,” said Liendo. “I’ve learned some new things. I’m just more comfortable in this event and know I can compete with the best in the world.”
Alexanne Lepage won the women’s 100m breaststroke in 1:06.87, the exact time of the AQUA A standard, which qualified her for the World Aquatics Championships for the first time in her career.
In the men’s 200m IM, reigning world champion Finlay Knox took the win in 1:57.25, ahead of Tristan Jankovics, who was also under the AQUA A standard. Knox has been having a challenging year dealing with back issues.
“I always try to tell myself it’s 90 percent mental, 10 per cent physical. But as many meets as you go to and under as many pressure situations you’ve been in, the devil on your shoulder always seems to creep in. That was something I really had to deal with today,” Knox said. “I think if a day like today, and how I was feeling about it, happened three or four years ago I definitely wouldn’t have handled it as well.”
Though Mary-Sophie Harvey was a distant second to McIntosh in the 200m IM, her personal best time of 2:08.78 was also easily under the AQUA A standard, qualifying her in a third event for the world championships after she won the 100m butterfly and 200m breaststroke.
You can catch all the action throughout the week. CBC Gem and https://www.cbc.ca/player/sports/live will stream each session beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT for heats and 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT for finals. Every session will also be live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CBCSports/streams
