Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh’s breathtaking run has continued in the pool with a second world record in three days.
Just two days after the 18-year-old took down Australian star Ariarne Titmus’ 400m freestyle world record, McIntosh smashed Katinka Hosszu’s 200m individual medley world record that had stood for a decade, becoming the first female to go under two minutes and six seconds in the four-lap event.
McIntosh, swimming at the Canadian trials ahead of next month’s world championships in Singapore, slashed 0.86 seconds off her lifetime best to record a time of 2:05.70 in front of an ecstatic home crowd.
“Overall really happy with that time,” McIntosh said. “Always keep trying to push forward. It gives me a lot of confidence heading into Singapore.”
McIntosh also told CBC: “I knew going into trials I could do something special. There’s definitely a lot more I can achieve here. I’m motivated to put some good times down.”
McIntosh is now the world record holder in three individual events; the 400m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.
Summer McIntosh competes at Canada’s swimming trials. Credit: Scott Grant
Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom is the only other woman to hold three individual longcourse swimming records (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly).
Earlier in the week, McIntosh almost broke Katie Ledecky’s 800m freestyle world record, coming within 0.95 seconds of the American legend’s personal best of 8:04.12.
If McIntosh took down Ledecky’s mark, it would have been three world records in three days.
McIntosh is aiming to swim in five individual events at the upcoming world championships that begin on July 27.
Titmus, who is in commentary this week for Channel Nine while enjoying a break from swimming, said she was disappointed to lose her 400m freestyle world record but paid tribute to McIntosh.
The Canadian finished second behind Titmus in the 400m freestyle final in Paris.
“Obviously it stings a little bit when you get your world record broken but I know how tough it is to swim that fast,” Titmus said on Nine. “To break my world records I was working for years and years and to be 18 years old and to be swimming that incredible off the back of an Olympic Games, she’s an absolute phenomenon.
“To smash a world record like that, who knows how fast she’s going to go, but this is great for the world of swimming. It gets the juices flowing.”
Australian 400m freestyle star Sam Short, who won the event on Monday night at the Australian trials in Adelaide, said he was inspired by McIntosh, who he watched race in the USA earlier this year.
“She’s incredible,” Short said. “I thought she would break the 800 [metre] world record. I love watching it. Hopefully she lights a fire under Arnie’s belly.”
Australian Kaylee McKeown has a personal best time of 2:06.63 in the 200m individual medley and finished third in last year’s Olympic final behind McIntosh, who took the gold medal.
However, McKeown has indicated that she will drop the 200 IM from her heavy program when it comes to international meetings. She did not enter the race at this week’s Australian trials, instead focusing on her backstroke events.
McIntosh won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics and has made no secret of wanting to claim a greater haul by the time LA 2028 arrives.
