Canada’s Summer McIntosh Smashes 400m Freestyle World Record at National Trials
Victoria, British Columbia: Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh delivered a historic performance at the Canadian Swimming Trials on Saturday, setting a new world record in the women’s 400 metres freestyle.
The 18-year-old Olympic champion touched the wall in 3:54.18, breaking the previous world record of 3:55.38 held by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, which was set at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
“Going into tonight, I knew that my training has been really good these past few months, and I knew that I could do something special,” McIntosh told CBC following her record-breaking swim. “I didn’t think my training would be 54.1, but I’m really happy with that.”
McIntosh’s performance continues her rapid rise in the world of swimming. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she made history by becoming the first Canadian athlete to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games, capturing titles in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 200m individual medley, along with a silver medal in the 400m freestyle.
Reflecting on her world-record performance at the trials, McIntosh noted a significant difference in how she felt during the race:
“I just felt so strong throughout, and that’s never been the case in the 400 freestyle for me. That last 100, I’m always really, really hurting,” she said. “But I flipped at the 200 and I was just cruising, so I knew I was having a strong swim. I could tell by the crowd and knew 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.”
Already a four-time World Aquatics champion, McIntosh’s latest feat positions her as a dominant force heading into future international competitions, with the swimming world watching closely as she continues to redefine excellence in the pool.
