MONTREAL – Canada’s teenage swimming star Summer McIntosh delivered a record-breaking performance at the Canadian Olympic trials on Monday, setting a new world record in the women’s 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2 minutes 05.70 seconds.
The 18-year-old swimmer broke the previous record of 2:06.12 set by Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu at the 2015 World Championships, and became the first woman to complete the event in under 2:06.
It marks McIntosh’s second world record at the ongoing trials in British Columbia following her historic 400-meter freestyle swim on Saturday.
McIntosh also impressed in the 800-meter freestyle on Sunday, recording the third-fastest time in history — a significant achievement in an event not considered her strongest. Despite a packed schedule, the young swimmer showed no signs of slowing down, thrilling the home crowd with another remarkable display.
Speaking after the race, McIntosh expressed satisfaction with her performance. “I’m really happy with that time,” she said. “The 200 IM is one of my key events, and it’s all about perfect execution. There’s no room for mistakes. It’s like a sprint for me, so to get this result gives me a lot of confidence heading into Singapore.”
SUMMER MCINTOSH EARNS HER SECOND WORLD RECORD AT THE CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS 🤯👏
She breaks Katinka Hosszu’s 200m individual medley world record with a time of 2:05.70. pic.twitter.com/BWe6sknnzR
— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) June 10, 2025
McIntosh credited rest, nutrition, and mental preparation for helping her maintain peak form over the weekend.
“I’ve just been focusing on recovery — sleeping a lot, eating properly and staying calm between races. Over the years, I’ve learned how to manage back-to-back events.”
The record-breaking swim was built on a strong start in the butterfly and backstroke legs, followed by an improved breaststroke — typically her most challenging segment. She then powered through the freestyle leg to surpass Hosszu’s long-standing record.
Mary-Sophie Harvey finished second with a time of 2:08.78 while Ashley McMillan placed third in 2:12.08.
McIntosh, with multiple records under her belt, now heads to next month’s World Championships in Singapore as a top contender and a rising force in international swimming.
