Just a day after wrapping up one of the most historic weeks in swimming, Canadian teenage phenom Summer McIntosh is already shifting her focus to the next challenge: the World Championships in Singapore this July.
The 18-year-old from Toronto stunned the swimming world at the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic trials in Victoria, becoming the first swimmer since Michael Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics to break three different individual long-course world records in a single meet. Her name now sits beside greatness.
McIntosh shattered world records in the 400m freestyle, 200m individual medley, and 400m individual medley over five electrifying days—an achievement that has firmly cemented her status as the face of Canadian swimming.
But instead of basking in the glory, McIntosh is focused on fine-tuning her craft.
“I can go over everything with my coach and see where to make improvements,” she said. “This meet gives me motivation and validates all the hard training I’ve done so far. Now it’s time to push harder and keep moving forward.”
Canada officially named a 28-member team on June 12 for the World Championships, where McIntosh will headline a star-studded squad. She’s expected to compete in five individual events, setting the stage for what could be another historic showing.
Beyond her three world records, McIntosh also set five new Canadian records, came within two seconds of Katie Ledecky’s 800m freestyle world mark, and clocked the fastest 200m butterfly time since the ban on performance-enhancing swimsuits in 2010.
Her performance in Victoria wasn’t just dominant—it was memorable. After completing her final record-breaking swim in the 400m IM on June 11, McIntosh embraced fellow Canadian swimming legend Penny Oleksiak, who once described her as “all gas, no brakes.” True to form, McIntosh later gifted her gold medal to a young fan in the stands—something she did after each win that week.
She skipped the final day of the meet and the 200m freestyle to rest, instead spending time with fans outside the Saanich Commonwealth Place, signing autographs and posing for photos.
“What a week, Victoria! Had so much fun in the pool,” McIntosh wrote on Instagram.
Much of her recent success, she says, is thanks to her new coach Fred Vergnoux, with whom she’s been training in Antibes, France since January.
“Fred has been amazing,” McIntosh told CBC. “He’s pushed me harder than I thought possible. I’ve gone faster than I ever imagined I could. And we’ve only known each other a few months—it’s a special connection.”
Swimming excellence runs in the McIntosh family. Her mother, Jill Horstead, represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics, and her sister Brooke was a national-level pairs figure skater who later represented Spain.
Following the World Championships, McIntosh plans to relocate to Austin, Texas to begin training under Bob Bowman—the legendary coach who guided Michael Phelps to greatness.
With her name already rewriting record books and her sights set on more, Summer McIntosh isn’t just the future of swimming—she’s defining its present.
