At the Canadian swimming trials on Monday, Summer McIntosh made waves by setting a new world record in the 200m individual medley, marking her second record-breaking achievement in just three days. The 18-year-old athlete surpassed the previous record held by renowned Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszu for nearly a decade. McIntosh completed the race in an impressive time of 2:05.70, breaking Hosszu’s record from the 2015 world championships in Kazan by 0.42 seconds.
Reflecting on her accomplishment, McIntosh expressed that the record had been a goal for her since trials two years ago. “I’ve been knocking on the door on this one. I’ve just tried to chip away at it,” she said. This milestone follows her previous world record set in the 400m freestyle just three days earlier.
McIntosh, a three-time Olympic champion, is currently showcasing her dominance at Saanich Commonwealth Place, recently swimming the third-fastest women’s 800m freestyle in history. As she prepares for the upcoming world championships in Singapore next month, this latest achievement serves as a significant confidence boost.
“The 200 IM is my main race out of my top five or six where I really have to execute perfectly. There’s no room for mistakes, and it’s kind of a sprint event for me,” she noted, highlighting the intensity and precision required in her specialty.
McIntosh’s recent successes not only emphasize her status as a rising star in the swimming world but also reflect a broader trend of young athletes achieving remarkable feats in competitive sports. As she heads into the challenging environment of the world championships, her momentum could lead to even more extraordinary accomplishments in the near future.