Canadian swimming star Summer McIntosh shattered the world record in the women’s 200-meter butterfly at the Canadian Olympic trials on Sunday, posting a time of 2 minutes, 3.03 seconds. The previous record of 2:03.41 was set by China’s Liu Zige in 2009 during the super-suit era.
A three-time champion at the 2024 Paris Olympics, McIntosh slammed her fists into the water in celebration while smiling ear-to-ear as the crowd erupted inside the Olympic pool. “As you can see my emotions, this is the absolute world [to me],” McIntosh said after the race. “Growing up this is the one world record I thought I would never break and to do it tonight is really special in front of a home crowd. It means the absolute world and I’m in shock right now.”
The race Sunday was the first opportunity for many Canadian fans to see McIntosh compete since her high-profile move to train in Austin, Texas, under Bob Bowman, the coach who guided Michael Phelps to a record 23 Olympic gold medals. McIntosh will compete in the 400 IM on Monday, the 400 free Tuesday and the 200 IM on Wednesday ahead of the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.
