The improbable has become something of a routine for Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh.
She delivered another exceptional performance during the Olympic and Paralympic trials on Thursday evening, shaving more than a second off her world record in the 400-meter individual medley.
“It might sound crazy, but I think every time she dives in the pool we expect something spectacular because that’s the type of athlete she is,” said teammate Kylie Masse. .
McIntosh led her closest rival by a full second at the 50-meter stage and was swimming at a pace that had her on course for a world record at the halfway mark. She seemed to get stronger over the final 100 meters and finished the event in four minutes 24.38 seconds.
Ontario’s Ella Jansen finished in second place, with a time of 4:38.88, three-tenths of a second off the Olympic qualifying time.
“I focused on enjoying the race and took it 100 meters at a time because it’s a pretty tough race mentally,” McIntosh said.
“Overall, I am very happy. I’ve always had fun and that was certainly the case tonight. »
His previous best of 4:25.87 was set in April 2023.
It was McIntosh’s third trial victory. She was dominant in her victory in the 400-meter freestyle on Monday and followed it up an evening later with a relatively easy victory in the 200-meter freestyle.
McIntosh has built such commanding leads in both prelims and finals this week that the only element of intrigue is between her and the clock. Thursday night, she beat him.
The partisan crowd let out a roar when the local favorite was introduced, and the noise only grew louder throughout the race.
“That’s really what keeps me going,” McIntosh said. “If they hadn’t been there, I don’t think I would have had the world record of 4:25 in the first place, let alone the one tonight. »
McIntosh, 17, from Toronto, is the two-time reigning world champion in the 400 IM. She will participate in her second Olympic Games this summer in Paris.
She broke out during the 2021 Olympic Trials and narrowly missed the podium at the Tokyo Games that same year.
“I hope people can just recognize and appreciate what they see and appreciate him as an athlete and as a person as well,” Masse said. “She’s incredibly kind and she works really hard. »
“I’m really excited about her career so far and I know this is just the beginning. »
In other results, Josh Liendo of Toronto (47.55) and Yuri Kisil of Calgary (48.19) finished first and second, respectively, in the men’s 100 freestyle to secure spots in that discipline at the Games.
Masse, an Ontario native, won the women’s 200 backstroke in 2:06.24. Her compatriot Regan Rathwell (2:09.38) also finished the race inside the Olympic qualifying time to secure a place in Paris.
Montreal’s Timothe Barbeau won the 800-meter freestyle in 8:00.61, but he did not qualify for the Paris Olympics.
The competition continues until Sunday.
