Summer McIntosh Sets New 400m Freestyle World Record at Trials

Victoria, British Columbia — Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh shattered the women’s 400m freestyle world record on Saturday at the Canadian Swimming Trials, recording a time of 3:54.18.

The 18-year-old’s performance exceeded the previous record of 3:55.38 set by Australian Ariarne Titmus at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. McIntosh’s achievement comes ahead of this year’s World Championships, scheduled to take place in Singapore from July 11 to August 3.

“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. “I mean, I didn’t think my training would be 54.1, but I’m really happy with that overall.”

Her record-setting performance was marked by a strong second half of the race, which helped her achieve a time more than a second faster than the previous mark. McIntosh had previously held the world record before Titmus took it from her in 2023.

At the Paris Olympics, she made history by becoming Canada’s first-ever triple champion at a single Games, winning gold in the 200m butterfly, 200m medley, and 400m medley.

This latest victory has made her a top contender as she heads into the World Championships, where she is set to compete in multiple events, including the 800m free and various individual medleys.

McIntosh’s impressive split times throughout the race showcased her remarkable speed, with each lap clocked under 30 seconds. Her performance not only set a new world record but also sent a strong message to her competitors.

“To be honest, I didn’t really feel a lot of pain in that,” McIntosh said. “I just felt so strong throughout, and that’s never been the case in the 400 freestyle for me.”

As she prepares for the World Championships, McIntosh’s focus remains on building upon her success and potentially adding to her title collection.