Ariarne Titmus opened up on the disappointment of losing her 400m freestyle world record, and motivation to reclaim it, as 16-year-old Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh created more history in the pool.
Less than four months out from the World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, McIntosh announced herself as a major force last week by slicing 0.32 seconds off Titmus’ 400m freestyle world record, which the Australian star set last year.
World records rarely get broken by that much, and it was the manner of McIntosh’s victory at the Canadian swim trials that has made the swimming world sit up and take notice.
Jaws dropped even further on Sunday when McIntosh broke the 400m individual medley world record. No swimmer in history has ever held the longcourse 400m freestyle and 400m IM world records at the same time.
McIntosh clocked 4:25.87, to easily lower Katinka Hosszú’s world record of 4:26.36.
“It’s obviously really amazing and I’m happy to get another world record,” McIntosh told CBC Sports. “Right now I’m just thinking about my legs. The 400m IM is one of the toughest events out there.”
As a 14-year-old, McIntosh finished fourth in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics, behind gold medallist Titmus.
Summer McIntosh and Ariarne Titmus.Credit:Getty
At the Paris Olympics next year, however, she is on track to be the most dominant female in the pool.
Titmus, the reigning Olympic champion in the 400m freestyle, spoke earlier in the year about the mindset adjustment of going from the hunter to the hunted. But after McIntosh’s sizzling time, that script has been flipped on its head, just how Titmus and her exuberant coach Dean Boxall like it.
“Certainly having your own world record broken is a tough pill to swallow,” Titmus told Channel Nine’s Sports Sunday program. “But I think you have to look at the good in everything and it’s probably a good thing it was broken now. It gives me a little bit of fire in the belly.
“I think it’s naive to think that the world of swimming is going to stop. It’s exciting for our sport, it’s exciting for the 400 freestyle.
“I think the match-up between Summer, Katie [Ledecky] and I is just going to be as strong as ever in Paris. Time is flying. It’s only a year and a half away. It’s exciting for the sport.”
Titmus is preparing to race at the Australian Swimming Championships on the Gold Coast, beginning April 17.
It will be fascinating to see if Titmus goes full-tilt in a bid to regain her world record, or whether she saves herself for the Australian trials in June in Melbourne.
Boxall will have her firing when it matters most by the time the World Swimming Championships begin in Japan in late July.
“No one can really underestimate the importance of trust between coach and athlete,” Titmus said. “I’m really proud of the fact that Dean and I are quite good friends outside of swimming related things.”
Meanwhile, three-time Olympian Bronte Campbell has announced her intention to pursue qualification for a fourth Games at Paris 2024 Olympics.
Campbell, the younger sister of fellow Olympian Cate, took a break after the Tokyo Games but is determined to “scratch the itch” and get back in the pool.
“I never officially retired,” Campbell said on Sports Sunday. “I don’t know whether you can call this a comeback but I have been back in the pool for the last three months and looking towards Paris.
“If I can make it to the Paris Olympics, I’ll be the fourth person ever behind my sister, Emily Seebohm and Leisel Jones. That’s pretty incredible company. It’s really put the fire in my belly to get kicking on the next 18 months of prep.
“You’ve got to scratch that itch. You’ve got to see what will happen. I think I would be kicking myself if I didn’t.”
