Summer McIntosh Aims for Historic Five Gold Medals at World Championships

SINGAPORE

Summer McIntosh is striving to become the first woman to win five individual gold medals at a single world championship. The 18-year-old swimmer made headlines on Sunday by winning the gold in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing with a time of 3:56.26, more than two seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Li Bingjie.

McIntosh’s time was just shy of the world record she set in June but was still enough to secure her place on the podium. Nine-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky took the bronze with a finishing time of 3:58.49, marking another victory for McIntosh in the spotlight.

This gold medal is the first of five that McIntosh hopes to win at this year’s championships. She will also compete in the 200m individual medley, 400m and 200m individual relays, 200m butterfly, and 800m freestyle. Winning all five events would place her in the history books alongside swimming legend Michael Phelps.

“In previous championships and Olympics, I haven’t been at my best. This time, standing on the center of the podium feels promising,” McIntosh stated after her win. “I believe I’m in the best shape of my life and now it’s time to prove it in the remaining events.”

On Monday, McIntosh will compete in the 200m individual medley, where she holds the current women’s record. She is expected to face tough competition from Yu Zidi, a Chinese swimmer who has shown impressive times this season, finishing her semifinal heat in a strong 2:10.22.

Yu also advanced to compete in the 400m individual medley and the 200m butterfly events, adding to the excitement of the upcoming races.