Summer McIntosh sets world record in 400-m freestyle at Canadian Swimming Trials.
Summer McIntosh, of Canada, competes during a heat in the women’s 400-meter individual medley at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (Martin Meissner/AP Photo)
Summer McIntosh is showing no signs of slowing down after her huge 2024 Olympic performance.
The Toronto-born swim star, 18, set a world record in the women’s 400-metre freestyle during the opening night of the Canadian swimming trials on Saturday in Victoria.
McIntosh finished in three minutes, 54.18 seconds.
Ariarne Titmus of Australia had the previous world record (3:55.38).
Titmus beat out McIntosh for gold in the 400 free at the Olympics in Paris last year.
The Canadian went on to win three gold medals to go along with her silver.
“Going into tonight, I knew my training had been really good these past few months and I could do something special,” McIntosh said in a post-race interview played for the crowd at the pool deck.
McIntosh set her first career world record in the 400 free (3:56.06) in March 2023 in Toronto before Titmus bettered her time later in the year.
On Saturday, McIntosh rode the roar of the crowd to another world record.
“To be honest, I didn’t really feel a lot of pain (during the race),” she said. “I think I just felt so strong throughout.
That’s never been the case in the 400 freestyle for me. That last 100, I’m always really, really hurting.”
“I could tell by the crowd and the way they were cheering that I was probably close to the world record so I really tried to push that last part for them.”
McIntosh has set a goal of winning five individual gold medals at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
She is soon moving to Texas to train under Bob Bowman, the former coach of the legendary Michael Phelps.
The Canadian swimming trials are held to determine the country’s team for the world championships in July in Singapore.