Summer McIntosh could usurp Katie Ledecky as the greatest female swimmer of all time.
That’s the view of former Australian star Giaan Rooney after the Canadian’s latest record-breaking performance in the pool.
Having already broken Ariarne Titmus’ 400m freestyle world record and Katinka Hosszu’s 200m individual medley world mark, McIntosh sent the swimming world into another spin on Wednesday with a superb performance in the 200m butterfly at Canada’s world championship trials.
McIntosh clocked a time of 2:02.26, just outside the world record of 2:01.81 set in 2009 by China’s Zige Liu’s in a now-banned supersuit.
The 18-year-old could win as many as five individual gold medals at next month’s world championships in Singapore, which will be shown on the Nine Network. Could McIntosh go past Ledecky’s Olympic record of nine gold medals and counting?
“I do believe that given Summer’s age, we could see her challenge that [women’s] record of Katie’s, definitely,” said Rooney, who will commentate for Nine at the upcoming world championships.
Canadian swim sensation Summer McIntosh.Credit: Getty Images
“I think going into Singapore is the time when we’re like, ‘right, we are going to be talking about Summer for the rest of time’. She’s just going from strength to strength.
“I think [she could get the record] mainly because of the number of events she swims. There will definitely come a time when that will get harder for her as she gets older but there are things that could play into Summer’s hands, like the fact there are rumours the LA 2028 Olympic swimming program is 11 days long.
“All of a sudden, there is greater recovery between events for her and maybe not having two events on the same day would help her chances to increase that medal tally.”
A showdown between McIntosh and Titmus is unlikely to take place until 2027, with the latter taking time out of the pool after her successful Paris Olympic campaign.
(Left to right): Cate Campbell, Giaan Rooney, Ian Thorpe and Ariarne Titmus will lead Nine’s commentary team for the world swimming championships in Singapore from July 27 to August 3. Credit: Nine
Rooney has been broadcasting from the pool deck with Titmus in Adelaide this week, and believes the Australian will be motivated to regain her record.
“Of course it stings,” Rooney said. “Arnie’s the perfect person for that to happen to because it’s only going to drive her. Arnie will use that as fuel to fire her up. I think it’s been quite interesting for her to be sidelined this week and to see it from the other side. You can almost see her jittering on pool deck … like she wants to be out there.”
Australia topped the medal tally at the last proper longcourse world championships two years ago in Fukuoka.
While performances have been steady at this week’s Australian swimming trials, Rooney expects the USA to be particularly strong in Singapore.
“We have lost our big names and long-term members of that team but we have incredible depth,” Rooney said.
“The [American swimmers] are sticking around to try and make LA 2028. All their big guns are still firing … and that could spell a bit of trouble for us.
“We’re in a rebuilding phase. The Americans will have a very similar team to what they had in Paris.
“Worlds will be a tough assignment for our Australian team but … I think long-term gain, short-term pain. We just need to be really realistic about that.”
The World Aquatics Championships will also feature water polo, diving, high diving, artistic swimming and open water swimming. All sports will be on 9Now, while swimming will be shown in primetime on Channel 9 and 9Gem.
