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Summer Ann McIntosh OLY (born August 18, 2006) is a Canadian competitive swimmer.[1] She is a three-time Olympic champion, eight-time World Aquatics champion, and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. Noted for her strength in medley, freestyle and butterfly events, she is the world record holder in the 200 and 400 metre individual medley and 400 metre freestyle,[2][3][4] and also holds the Olympic and textile records in the 200 metre butterfly event.[5] In the short course pool, she is a four-time World Swimming Championships gold medallist and holds world records in the 400 metre freestyle, 200 metre butterfly, and 400 metre individual medley events.[6][7][8]

Key Information

McIntosh first drew recognition when, at age 14, she was the youngest member of the Canadian team for the 2020 Summer Olympics, where she achieved a fourth-place finish in the 400 metre freestyle.[9][10] The following year she became the youngest World Aquatics champion in swimming in over a decade, and the first Canadian to win two gold medals at a single World Championships, for which she was dubbed a "teen swimming sensation."[11][12][13] In March and April 2023, in the span of five days, she set her first and second world records, in the 400 metre freestyle and 400 individual medley events, at the Canadian national trials.[14][3] McIntosh's performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics, in which she won four individual medals (three gold and one silver),[15] further increased her fame, with Time dubbing it the "Summer of Summer".[16]

Early life

[edit]

McIntosh is the daughter of Greg McIntosh and former Canadian Olympic team swimmer Jill Horstead.[17][18][19] Her older sister Brooke is a competitive pair skater.[18][20]

McIntosh currently studies and trains in Sarasota, Florida.[21]

Career

[edit]

McIntosh has broken over 50 age group national swimming records.[22] In May 2021, McIntosh swam a 4:05.13 in the 400 metre freestyle, the fastest time ever by a 14-year-old swimmer worldwide.[23]

2021 season

[edit]

As part of the 2021 Canadian Olympic swimming trials in Toronto, McIntosh won the 200 metre freestyle event over training partner Penny Oleksiak, with a personal best time of 1:56.19, which also marked the fastest time ever by a 14-year-old swimmer worldwide.[24] This qualified her for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. McIntosh followed this up with a win in the 800 metre freestyle event, in another personal best time of 8:29.49. She was the youngest person named to the Canadian Olympic team.[9][25][26][27]

Summer Olympic Games

[edit]
See also: Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics

In her first event, McIntosh finished fourth in the 400 metre freestyle, breaking the Canadian national record with a time of 4:02.42.[10] She advanced to the semifinals of the women's 200m freestyle, but placed ninth there and thus missed the final. She was part of the Canadian team for the 4 × 200 metre relay, along with Oleksiak, Rebecca Smith and Kayla Sanchez. They set a new Canadian record in the event final, placing fourth.[28] McIntosh's last event was the 800 metre freestyle, where she placed eleventh and thus did not advance to the final.[29]

Following the Olympics, McIntosh made her debut on the International Swimming League as part of the Toronto Titans.[30]

World Swimming Championships

[edit]
2021 World Swimming Championships
Gold medal – first place 4×200 m freestyle 7:32.96 (NR)
Silver medal – second place 400 m freestyle 3:57.87
Silver medal – second place 4×100 m medley (prelims) 3:47.36 (NR)

McIntosh was part of the Canadian team for the 2021 World Swimming Championships, and won a silver medal as part of the 4×100 metre medley relay, where she swam in the preliminaries for Canada as the team finished in second in the final. She then helped the Canadian team in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay, swimming the first leg as Canada won gold. McIntosh won her first individual medal of the competition when she won the silver in the 400 metre freestyle race. She was third at the halfway mark but passed Siobhán Haughey and held on to the second position, finishing behind Li Bingjie.[31] McIntosh had set a Canadian record in the 800 metre qualifying, but she withdrew from the event to focus on the 400 and women's relay events.[32][33]

2022 season

[edit]

On March 4, 2022, McIntosh swam the 400 metre individual medley at a preparatory event for the Canadian swimming trials, recording a time of 4:29.12. This was both a national and Commonwealth record, and the third-fastest of all time, as well as the fastest time recorded by any swimmer since Katinka Hosszú's winning time at the 2016 Summer Olympics.[34] At the national swimming trials, McIntosh won titles in the 200 metre and 400 metre freestyle, the 200 metre butterfly, and the 400 metre individual medley, before scratching from the 800 metre freestyle.[35]

World Championships

[edit]
2022 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 200 m butterfly 2:05.20 (NR)
Gold medal – first place 400 m medley 4:32.04
Silver medal – second place 400 m freestyle 3:59.39 (NR)
Bronze medal – third place 4 × 200 m freestyle relay 7:44.76

McIntosh made her senior FINA World Aquatics Championships debut at the 2022 edition in Budapest, Hungary, with her first event being the 400 metre freestyle. She finished second in the final, taking the silver medal with a new personal best and national record time of 3:59.39. She was only the fourth woman in history to record a time of under four minutes.[36] McIntosh set another world junior record in the semi-final of the 200 metre butterfly with a 2:05.79 time, exceeding her own as-yet-unratified record from the Canadian swimming trials.[37] She broke the record again the following day, June 22, in the event final, claiming her first World title, the first medal of any colour for Canada in the event.[12] She was the first 15-year-old to win a World title since China's Ye Shiwen in 2011, and the youngest Canadian world champion in history, surpassing 18-year-old Victor Davis in 1982.[13][38] Later in that same session she participated in the event final of the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, breaking another junior world record with a 1:54.79 opening leg, the second-fastest of any woman in the event behind Katie Ledecky of the United States. The Canadian team won the bronze medal.[12] In her final event, the 400 metre individual medley, McIntosh won her second gold medal of the championships, beating American Katie Grimes by 0.63 seconds. She became the first Canadian swimmer to win two gold medals at a single World Championships, and set a new record for the most medals won by a Canadian at a single World Championships (4), which would be tied later that same day by Penny Oleksiak and Kayla Sanchez.[11] As well, she was the youngest winner since Tracy Caulkins in 1978. McIntosh called the results "a dream come true", and praised Grimes, noting "she is around my age and she's a really tough competitor. So I'm looking forward to racing her and keep pushing myself."[39]

Commonwealth Games

[edit]
2022 Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 200 m medley 2:08.70
Gold medal – first place 400 m medley 4:29.01 (CR, NR)
Silver medal – second place 400 m freestyle 3:59.32 (NR)
Silver medal – second place 4 × 200 m freestyle 7:51.98
Silver medal – second place 4 × 100 m medley 3:56.59
Bronze medal – third place 4 × 100 m freestyle 3:37.25

A month later, McIntosh was part of her first Commonwealth Games team, for the 2022 edition in Birmingham, England. She opted not to contest the 200 metre butterfly there, citing the need to focus on other events.[40] Heavily favoured in the 400 m medley, she won gold on the first day of the competition schedule, improving her world junior, Commonwealth, and national records to 4:29.01. She finished 7.77 seconds ahead of silver medallist Kiah Melverton, and was the first Canadian gold medallist of the Games.[41] McIntosh was then given the novel opportunity to participate in Canada's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team, with mainstay members like Oleksiak, Sanchez and Taylor Ruck absent, winning a bronze medal. She noted that she "didn't really know what to expect, the 100 free is not my main event so I just tried to put a good time down to set it up for the rest of the girls."[42] The next day she took her more customary place on the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay team, swimming the leadoff leg and helping take the silver medal.[43] Of this, she said she was "very proud."[44] On the fourth day, she competed in the 200 metre individual medley, a much more uncommon event for her than the 400 metre individual medley. McIntosh won the gold medal, defeating reigning World silver medallist Kaylee McKeown of Australia and setting a new world junior record. McIntosh noted that "the 200 IM is more of a sprinting event for me", adding "the only pressure I feel is what I put on myself. The only thing that matters is my expectations."[45] With the result, McIntosh recorded one of the top four results of 2022 in five different events.[46] On the final day of the swimming competitions, McIntosh won two more silver medals, finishing behind Ariarne Titmus in the 400 metre freestyle while lowering her own national record and then swimming the freestyle leg of the 4 × 100 metre medley relay, typically performed for the Canadian team by the absent Oleksiak.[47][48]

Following the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games, Swimming World magazine, assessing her "vast talent on display at two championship-level events", opined "it's not hype and bluster anymore. Based purely on results from this year, not career medal totals or performance over a long stretch of time, McIntosh is the third-best female swimmer in the world."[47]

On October 28, at the 2022 FINA Swimming World Cup in Toronto, and conducted in short course metres, McIntosh set a new world junior record, World Cup record, Americas record, and Canadian record in the 400 metre freestyle on day one, finishing in a time of 3:52.80 in the final to win the gold medal.[49][50] The following day, she won the gold medal in the 400 metre individual medley with a world junior record and Canadian record time of 4:21.49.[51][52] She and fellow Canadians Sydney Pickrem and Bailey Andison won all the medals in the event.[52] Approximately 50 minutes later, she placed eighth in the 100 metre backstroke with a time of 58.84 seconds.[53] The following, and final, day, she won a pair of bronze medals, the first in the 200 metre backstroke with a personal best time of 2:02.85 and the second in the 200 metre individual medley with a personal best time of 2:06.57.[54][55]

The next, and final, stop of the World Cup circuit, McIntosh won the gold medal in the 200 metre butterfly on November 3, finishing in a personal best time of 2:03.40, which was the only time in the final faster than 2:04.00.[56] Day two, she finished in a personal best time of 1:52.63 in the 200 metre freestyle final to place fifth.[57] On the third and final day, she dropped 6.25 seconds from her personal best time in the 800 metre freestyle to win the silver medal with a Canadian record time of 8:07.12.[58]

The following month, at the 2022 U.S. Open Swimming Championships, McIntosh won the gold medal in the 400 metre individual medley with a Championships record, world junior record, and US Open record time of 4:28.61.[59][60] The following day, she won the silver medal in the 200 metre backstroke with a personal best time of 2:07.15, which was 1.87 seconds behind gold medallist Regan Smith of the United States.[61][62] Earlier in the meet, on day two, she won the silver medal in the 400 metre freestyle.[62]

2023 season

[edit]

McIntosh drew headlines early in 2023 with performances at the 2023 Pro Swim Series event in Fort Lauderdale, first lowering her national and world junior records in the 200 metre butterfly.[63] Days later in the 200 metre freestyle event, she broke Taylor Ruck's national record and lowered her prior world junior record with a time of 1:54.13, and won the event over Katie Ledecky. This was the first time Ledecky had lost a domestic final in the 200 metre distance or higher since 2014. McIntosh remarked that "I'm really happy with that swim but it hurts really bad."[64] She then broke Sydney Pickrem's national record in the 200 metre individual medley.[65]

At the national swim trials at the end of March at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, McIntosh set her first world record, winning the 400 metre freestyle event with a time of 3:56.08 seconds and surpassing Ariarne Titmus's prior time of 3:56.40. Speaking afterward, she said that "going into tonight, I didn't think the world record was a possibility, but you never know."[66][14] Days later, McIntosh won the 400 metre medley with a time of 4:25.87, breaking the world record that Katinka Hosszú had set at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She became the first swimmer in history to hold both the 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley long course world records at the same time.[3] McIntosh also improved her own world junior records in three other events at the meet.[67]

World Championships

[edit]
2023 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 200 m butterfly 2:04.06 (NR)
Gold medal – first place 400 m medley 4:27.11 (CR)
Bronze medal – third place 200 m freestyle 1:53.65 (NR)
Bronze medal – third place 4×100 m medley 3:54.12

McIntosh's first event of the 2023 World Aquatics Championships was a highly-anticipated 400 metre freestyle, touted as a three-way contest between her, Titmus and Ledecky.[68] She came third in the heats, but in the final she finished narrowly in fourth place, being overtaken for bronze in the final stretch by New Zealander Erika Fairweather. McIntosh called it a "learning experience." Later the same session she joined the Canadian team in the final of the 4×100 metre freestyle relay; with Oleksiak absent and Ruck recovering from a hand injury, the team finished seventh.[69] McIntosh competed in the 200m freestyle at the World Championships for the first time, finishing second in the semi-finals, 0.03 back of Titmus and 0.24 ahead of Mollie O'Callaghan.[70] She came third in the event final, out touching reigning Olympic silver medallist Siobhan Haughey for the bronze.[71] On July 27, McIntosh successfully defended her title in the 200m butterfly and improved on her world junior record in the event, claiming that she "was just trying to have as much fun as possible and race as hard as I could."[72] She became only the second Canadian to win three World titles, after Kylie Masse, as well as the second to defend a World title, again after Masse.[73] Later in the day she joined the Canadian team in the final of the 4×200 metre freestyle relay. The team, depleted of some of its most important members from years prior, finished in fifth, but McIntosh's 1:53.97 was the second-fastest in the event, behind Titmus, and the ninth-fastest of all time to that point.[74] After finishing second in her heat for the 400m medley, McIntosh defended her title, winning in championship record time (4:27.11) and a margin of 4.30 seconds over repeat silver medallist Katie Grimes. In so doing, she broke her tie with Masse for sole possession of the record for Canadian World Aquatics titles.[75] Later in the same session, she swam the freestyle leg of the 4×100 m medley relay, helping the team to a bronze medal. Her 53.48 time was an improvement by almost a second and a half over her performance in the earlier freestyle relay.[75][76]

In her final major competition of the year, the 2023 U.S. Open Swimming Championships, McIntosh won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle race, defeating Ledecky and breaking the latter's championship record with a time of 3:59.42.[77] She went on to defend her gold medal in the 400m individual medley, defeating Israeli silver medallist Anastasia Gorbenko by almost eight seconds.[78]

McIntosh was a finalist in voting for the Northern Star Award, given to the Canadian athlete of the year, and received the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as the Canadian Press' choice for Canadian female athlete of the year.[79][80]

2024 season

[edit]

As with most of the Canadian team's top swimmers, McIntosh opted not to attend the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, citing its proximity to the 2024 Summer Olympics.[81] She drew headlines in early February when she defeated Katie Ledecky at a sectional event in Orlando, becoming the first person to outpace Ledecky in the 800 metre distance since 2010. Her 8:11.39 time broke a ten-year-old national record previously set by Brittany MacLean at the 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.[82][83]

At the inaugural edition of the Canadian Swimming Open in April, McIntosh won the 200m freestyle with a world-leading time of 1:54.21. She came in second in the 100m backstroke final later in the same session, finishing just behind Maggie Mac Neil.[84] She would go on to win the 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, and 200m individual medley.[85]

McIntosh was the centre of attention at Canada's Olympic swimming trials, which featured audiences, unlike in the pandemic-afflicted 2021 events.[86] On the first day, she won the 400m freestyle with a world-leading time that she nevertheless said she was "definitely not happy with."[87] She then won the 200m freestyle on the second day.[88] McIntosh drew headlines on the fourth day in the 400m individual medley, where she broke her own world record with a 4:24.38, an improvement of a second and a half.[89] She finished more than fourteen seconds ahead of second-place Ella Jansen.[90] In her fourth event of the trials, the 200m butterfly, she posted a world-leading time of 2:04.33.[91] On the final day of the trials, McIntosh won the 200m individual medley, and was formally named to the Canadian Olympic team.[92]

Summer Olympic Games

[edit]
See also: Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics
2024 Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 200 m butterfly 2:03.03 (OR, NR)
Gold medal – first place 200 m medley 2:06.56 (OR, NR)
Gold medal – first place 400 m medley 4:27.71
Silver medal – second place 400 m freestyle 3:58.37

In her first race of the Paris Olympics, McIntosh entered the 400 m freestyle, which was expected to be a contest between herself, Ariarne Titmus, and Ledecky. She won the silver medal, finishing 0.88 seconds behind Titmus but more than two seconds clear of Ledecky and the rest of the field. This was her first Olympic medal, and the first Canadian medal in Paris. Later in the same session McIntosh participated in the final of the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, where the Canadian team finished fourth.[93] She then entered the 400m individual medley as the heavy favourite. After coming third in the heats, she won the gold medal, finishing more than five seconds ahead of American silver medallist Katie Grimes to take her first Olympic title.[94]

Competing next in the 200m butterfly, forty years after her mother's appearance in the same event in 1984, McIntosh won the gold medal and set a new Olympic record time of 2:03.03.[95][96] This was the second-fastest time in the history of the women's 200m butterfly, and the fastest of the textile era.[5] McIntosh became the first Canadian woman to win two individual gold medals at a Summer Olympics, the first Canadian to win two gold medals at a Summer Olympics since sprinter Donovan Bailey in 1996, and the first Canadian swimmer to win three individual medals at a single Olympics.[96][97] In the same session she joined the Canadian team in the final of the 4×200 m freestyle relay, where they finished fourth, a result she said she was "pretty disappointed with."[95] McIntosh's next race, the 200m individual medley, drew media attention as a contest for featuring her and two other individual Olympic gold medallists, America's Kate Douglass and Australian Kaylee McKeown.[98] This was only the second time that she had appeared in the 200 metre medley at an international competition, after the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Considered one of the favourites, she won the title with an Olympic record time of 2:06.56. She became the first Canadian to win three gold medals at a single Summer Olympics, and with four total medals she tied teammate Penny Oleksiak for the most Canadian medals in a single Olympics.[15][99]

McIntosh's final swim of the Paris Olympics was as part of the Canadian team in the 4 × 100 m medley relay, having replaced Oleksiak as the anchor for the event final. For the third time, the Canadians finished fourth, denying McIntosh's chance to tie Cindy Klassen's record for the most medals won by a Canadian Olympian in a single Olympics.[100] Following the end of the Olympic swimming competitions, she returned to Canada to vacation at her family's Muskoka Lakes cottage, but travelled back to Paris a few days later upon being named Canada's co-flag bearer at the closing ceremony, alongside hammer throw champion Ethan Katzberg.[101]

World Swimming Championships and recognition

[edit]
2024 World Swimming Championships
Gold medal – first place 400 m freestyle 3:50.25 (WR)
Gold medal – first place 200 m butterfly 1:59.32 (WR)
Gold medal – first place 400 m medley 4:15.48 (WR)
Silver medal – second place 200 m backstroke 1:59.96 (NR)
Bronze medal – third place 4×100 m freestyle 3:28.44

It was announced that McIntosh would compete at the 2024 World Swimming Championships, her first appearance there since 2021.[102] On the first day of the event, McIntosh swam to gold in the 400m freestyle, setting a new short course world record of 3:50.25 and lowering it by over a second in the process. Later in the same session she participated in the 4×100m freestyle relay, earning a bronze medal with the Canadian team.[6] On the same day, she was voted the recipient of the Northern Star Award as Canada's top athlete for 2024.[103] She won another gold medal in the 200m butterfly, setting a second short course world record by breaking Spaniard Mireia Belmonte's decade-old best time.[7] On the penultimate day of the championships she won gold in the 400m individual medley, breaking the last of Belmonte's world records and improving on it by over three seconds for a time of 4:15.48.[8] On the final day, McIntosh contested the 200m backstroke, the first time she had appeared in that event at a major international championship. She took the silver medal and set a national and world junior record time of 1:59.96.[104] McIntosh expressed disappointment with the result, but added that it was "a great motivator the next time I'm training and I'm hurting and I just remember what it's like to get silver, so it keeps me pushing forward."[105] At the conclusion of the meet, World Aquatics named her female swimmer of the year.[106]

In addition to the Northern Star Award and World Aquatics athlete of the year, McIntosh received her second consecutive Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as the Canadian Press's choice for female athlete of the year, winning 52 of 53 votes cast for the distinction.[107] She was named to the Time 100 Next list, with a tribute written by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who described her as "a superstar at age 18 and still warming up."[108] Forbes included McIntosh in their year-end 30 Under 30 list.[109]

2025 season

[edit]

In February, McIntosh raced in the 800m freestyle at the Southern Zone Sectionals meet, setting a new national record time of 8:09.86. This was the tenth-fastest time in history, the nine times ahead of hers all having been set by Katie Ledecky.[110] At the end of the month, she announced that this would be her final season training in Sarasota under Brent Arckey, and that she was contemplating working with Bob Bowman in the future. As well, she stated she would be looking to add a fifth individual event to her program for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.[111] On May 28, McIntosh confirmed that she would move to train under Bowman at the University of Texas at Austin in August of that year.[112]

On June 7, McIntosh regained the world record in the women's 400m freestyle event at the Canadian swimming trials with a time of 3:54.18.[113][4] Then, on June 8, she improved her national record in the 800m freestyle from an 8:09.86 to a 8:05.07. On the following day, she broke Katinka Hosszú's decade-old world record in the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:05.70, becoming the first woman with a time under 2:06.[2] On June 10, she lowered her own national record in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2:02.26, and became the second-fastest performer of all time, in this event.[114] In her final swim of the meet, McIntosh again lowered her own world record in the women's 400m individual medley, with a time of 4:23.65.[115]

World Championships

[edit]
2025 World Championships
Gold medal – first place 200 m butterfly 2:01.99 (CR, NR)
Gold medal – first place 200 m medley 2:06.69
Gold medal – first place 400 m freestyle 3:56.26
Gold medal – first place 400 m medley 4:25.78 (CR)
Bronze medal – third place 800 m freestyle 8:07.29

On the opening day of the swimming competitions at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, McIntosh raced in two heats, a semi-final, and won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle, her first in that event. With a time of 3:56.26, she finished nearly two seconds clear of silver medalist Li Bingjie. In what had been anticipated as a race between McIntosh and Ledecky, the latter finished third.[116] On the second day, she swam the final of the 200m individual medley, her first appearance in the event at the World Aquatics Championships. McIntosh won her second gold medal of the Singapore championships with a time of 2:06.69.[117] This was her tenth World Aquatics Championships medal, surpassing Kylie Masse and Penny Oleksiak for the most earned by a Canadian swimmer.[118]

McIntosh entered the 200m butterfly as the prohibitive favourite for the gold medal, with speculation focused on whether she would break the world record of 2:01.81, set in 2009 by Liu Zige using a "supersuit" that would be prohibited from World Aquatics competition three months after. As a result of this, Liu's record became the longest-standing record in women's competitive swimming.[119] McIntosh won with a time of 2:01.99, three seconds ahead of silver medalist Regan Smith. She was 0.18 seconds short of the world record,[120] but broke Jessicah Schipper's supersuit era championship record from 2009.[121] McIntosh faulted herself, saying "that last 15 metres I took an extra breath and I should've had my head down," but vowed "this is definitely going to fuel me for next season," adding: "If there's one world record that I wanted to break since the start of my career it's this one."[120]

Continuing her quest to win five individual gold medals, McIntosh entered the 800m freestyle, an event she had not contested at an international championship since 2021.[122] McIntosh held the lead at the 700-metre mark, but was passed by both Ledecky and Lani Pallister over the closing stretch, winning the bronze medal.[123] She called the race "not even close to what I wanted time-wise, place-wise, how I executed the race."[122] On the final day of the championship, she won gold in the 400m individual medley, and raced the butterfly leg for the Canadian team in the 4×100m medley relay, finishing fifth. With four gold medals and a bronze medal, she became only the third swimmer to take five individual medals at a World Aquatics Championship, after Michael Phelps and Sarah Sjöström.[124] McIntosh was named Female Swimmer of the Meet by World Aquatics.[125]

World Cup

[edit]

McIntosh entered the 2025 World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in October, but pulled out of the Carmel stop because of illness.[126] She officially canceled her participation in the upcoming stops of the Swimming World Cup in Westmont, Illinois, and her hometown of Toronto, which could have marked her international debut where she trained with Bob Bowman.[citation needed]

U.S. Open

[edit]

After her decision to withdraw from the Swimming World Cup, McIntosh is anticipated to participate in that year's U.S. Open in Austin, Texas.[127]

Results

[edit]

Championships

[edit]
Meet 200 free 400 free 800 free 200 back 200 butterfly 200 medley 400 medley 4 × 100 free 4 × 200 free 4 × 100 medley
OG 2021 9th 4th 11th 4th
SCW 2021 5th 2nd place, silver medalist(s) WD[a] 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
WC 2022 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
CG 2022 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
WC 2023 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 4th 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7th 5th 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
OG 2024 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 4th 4th 4th
SCW 2024 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
WC 2025 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5th
a McIntosh withdrew from the 800 freestyle after swimming in the heats.

Swimming World Cup

[edit]

The following medals McIntosh has won at Swimming World Cup circuits.[128]

Edition Gold medals Silver medals Bronze medals Total
2022 3 1 2 6
Total 3 1 2 6

Personal bests

[edit]

Long course (50-metre pool)

[edit]
Event Time Venue Date Notes Ref
50 m freestyle 25.54 Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center, Orlando February 9, 2024 [1]
100 m freestyle 53.90 Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto April 11, 2024
200 m freestyle 1:53.65 Marine Messe Fukuoka, Fukuoka July 26, 2023 WJR, NR
400 m freestyle 3:54.18 Saanich Commonwealth Place, Victoria, British Columbia June 7, 2025 WR [113]
800 m freestyle 8:05.07 Saanich Commonwealth Place, Victoria, British Columbia June 8, 2025 CR, NR [110]
1500 m freestyle 16:15.19 Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto May 7, 2021
50 m backstroke 29.20 McAuley Aquatic Center, Atlanta May 13, 2023 [129]
100 m backstroke 59.64 Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center, Orlando February 9, 2024
200 m backstroke 2:06.81 Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro December 3, 2023 [130]
100 m breaststroke 1:10:39 Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center, Orlando February 10, 2023
200 m breaststroke 2:27:23 Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center, Orlando February 10, 2024 [1]
50 m butterfly 26.74 Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto April 12, 2024 [129]
100 m butterfly 57.19 Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto April 12, 2024
200 m butterfly 2:01.99 Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore July 31, 2025 AM, CR, NR [131]
200 m individual medley 2:05.70 Saanich Commonwealth Place, Victoria, British Columbia June 9, 2025 WR [2]
400 m individual medley 4:23.65 Saanich Commonwealth Place, Victoria, British Columbia June 11, 2025 WR [132]
Legend: WR – World record; AM – Americas record; CR – Commonwealth record; NR – Canadian record; WJR – World junior record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

Short course (25-metre pool)

[edit]
Event Time Venue Date Notes Ref
200 m freestyle 1:52.63 Indiana University Natatorium, Indianapolis November 4, 2022 [57]
400 m freestyle 3:50.25 Danube Arena, Budapest December 10, 2024 WR, WJR [133]
800 m freestyle 8:07.12 Indiana University Natatorium, Indianapolis November 5, 2022 NR [58]
200 m backstroke 1:59.96 Danube Arena, Budapest December 15, 2024 WJR, NR [104]
200 m butterfly 1:59.32 Danube Arena, Budapest December 12, 2024 WR, WJR [134]
200 m individual medley 2:06.57 Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Toronto October 30, 2022 [55]
400 m individual medley 4:15.48 Danube Arena, Budapest December 14, 2024 WR, WJR [8]
Legend: WR – World record; AM – Americas record; CR – Commonwealth record; NR – Canadian record; WJR – World junior record;
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial

World Records

[edit]

World records

[edit]

Long course meters (50 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Age Ref
1 400 m freestyle 3:56.08 2023 Canadian Trials Toronto, Canada March 28, 2023 Former 16 [135]
2 400 m individual medley 4:25.87 2023 Canadian Trials Toronto, Canada April 1, 2023 Former 16 [136]
3 400 m individual medley (2) 4:24.38 2024 Canadian Trials Toronto, Canada May 16, 2024 Former 17 [137]
4 400 m freestyle (2) 3:54.18 2025 Canadian Trials Victoria, Canada June 7, 2025 Current 18 [138]
5 200 m individual medley 2:05.70 2025 Canadian Trials Victoria, Canada June 9, 2025 Current 18 [139]
6 400 m individual medley (3) 4:23.65 2025 Canadian Trials Victoria, Canada June 11, 2025 Current 18 [140]

Short course meters (25 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Age Ref
1 400 m freestyle 3:50.25 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 10, 2024 Current 18 [141]
2 200 m butterfly 1:59.32 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 12, 2024 Current 18 [142]
3 400 m individual medley 4:15.48 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 14, 2024 Current 18 [143]

World junior records

[edit]

Long course meters (50 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Age Ref
1 200 m freestyle 1:53.65 2023 World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka, Japan 26 July, 2023 Current 16 [144]
2 400 m freestyle 3:56.08 2023 Canadian Trials Toronto, Canada March 28, 2023 Current 16 [145]
3 200 m butterfly 2:03.03 2024 Olympic Games Paris, France 1 August, 2024 Current 17 [146]
4 200 m individual medley 2:06.56 2024 Olympic Games Paris, France 3 August, 2024 Current 17 [147]
5 400 m individual medley 4:24.38 2024 Canadian Trials Toronto, Canada May 16, 2024 Current 17 [148]

Short course meters (25 m pool)

[edit]
No. Event Time Meet Location Date Status Age Ref
1 400 m freestyle 3:50.25 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 10, 2024 Current 18 [149]
2 200 m backstroke 1:59.96 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 15, 2024 Current 18 [150]
3 200 m butterfly 1:59.32 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 12, 2024 Current 18 [151]
4 400 m individual medley 4:15.48 2024 World Aquatics Championships (25m) Budapest, Hungary December 14, 2024 Current 18 [152]

See also

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References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Summer McIntosh

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from Grokipedia
Summer McIntosh (born August 18, 2006) is a Canadian competitive swimmer specializing in freestyle, , and individual medley events. A native, she made her international debut at the age of 14, quickly establishing herself as one of the sport's premier talents through rapid progression and record-breaking performances. McIntosh comes from an athletic family; her mother, , represented in at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, while her older sister, , is a competitive figure skater. At the 2020 Olympics, McIntosh contributed to Canada's in the women's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, marking her emergence on the global stage. Her breakthrough came at the in Fukuoka, where she won three gold medals in the 400 m freestyle, 200 m butterfly, and 400 m individual medley, along with a in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay. McIntosh's dominance continued at the 2024 Olympics, where she became the first Canadian athlete to win three gold medals in a single Games: the 200 m butterfly (Olympic record: 2:03.03), 400 m individual medley, and 200 m individual medley, plus a in the 400 m freestyle. In 2025, McIntosh further solidified her status by capturing four gold medals at the in : the 400 m freestyle, 200 m individual medley (championship record), 200 m butterfly (championship record: 2:01.99), and 400 m individual medley (championship record: 4:25.78). She also set world records in the 400 m individual medley (4:23.65), 200 m individual medley (2:05.70), and 400 m freestyle at the Canadian Swimming Trials earlier that year. As of 2025, McIntosh holds multiple world records and has been recognized as Swimming Canada's Female Swimmer of the Year for three consecutive years, including 2024.

Early life

Family background

Summer McIntosh was born on August 18, 2006, in , , . She is the younger daughter of Greg McIntosh and McIntosh, the latter a former competitive swimmer who represented in the 200-meter butterfly at the in . Greg McIntosh has been a steadfast supporter of his daughters' athletic endeavors, providing emotional backing throughout their careers despite personal health challenges, including a in 2020 from which he has since recovered. McIntosh grew up alongside her older sister, , born January 5, 2005, who has pursued a career in competitive pair , achieving national and international recognition. The McIntosh family, rooted in Toronto's diverse urban environment, fostered a close-knit, athletic-oriented household that emphasized discipline and encouragement in sports from an early age. This supportive dynamic was influenced by Jill's Olympic experience and the family's shared interest in physical activities, including backyard pool play that introduced the sisters to water-based recreation. Raised in a multicultural Canadian context, McIntosh balanced early school life with exploratory interests in various sports, reflecting the 's broader emphasis on holistic development before her focus narrowed. The parents' hands-on involvement created a nurturing backdrop, prioritizing bonding and resilience amid the demands of competitive youth athletics.

Introduction to swimming and early training

Summer McIntosh began at the age of eight, inspired by her Jill Horstead's participation in the 200 m butterfly at the . At age nine, watching the 2016 Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials inspired her to pursue high-performance like her . Her early exposure came through learn-to-swim programs, where she demonstrated exceptional aptitude; by level seven of a ten-level progression, coaches recommended accelerating her into competitive , though she completed the full course to build a strong foundation. Under her first coach, Lindsay Watt, McIntosh quickly advanced from recreational , showing natural strength, agility, and a competitive drive that set her apart from peers. By age ten, she transitioned to the Swim Club, where her progression accelerated, moving from four weekly sessions to more intensive routines while excelling in local meets. Watt recalled McIntosh's leadership in group practices and her eagerness to race teammates, traits that fueled her rapid shift to competitive levels. In 2020, at age 13, McIntosh joined the High Performance Centre (HPC-) in under coach Ryan Mallette, who had earlier recognized her potential at , following the death of her coach. This move marked a pivotal step in her foundational development, with training emphasizing technique refinement in freestyle and individual medley events. Starting around 2018, her daily routines intensified to include sessions of over 10,000 meters, incorporating endurance work and skill drills to support her growing competitive edge.

Career

Pre-2021 junior career

McIntosh's junior career gained momentum in 2019 when, at age 13, she competed at the Canadian Swimming Championships, earning silver in the 400 m freestyle and bronze medals in the 400 m individual medley and 800 m freestyle. That same year, she transitioned to full-time training at the (HPCO) under coach Titley, moving from her club team to a professional environment that emphasized endurance building for long-course meters and more stroke-specific work to support her development across multiple events. The 2020 season was heavily impacted by the , with pool closures, modified training protocols, and the cancellation of major competitions including the Canadian Swimming Championships. Despite these disruptions, McIntosh maintained her progress through adapted training sessions, positioning her for senior-level qualification opportunities in the following year.

2021 season

McIntosh made her senior international debut at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, held in 2021, where she became the youngest member of the at age 14. Competing in multiple events, she finished ninth in the 200 m freestyle, fourth in the 400 m freestyle while setting a Canadian record of 4:02.42, and 11th in the 800 m freestyle. She also contributed to the Canadian 4 × 200 m freestyle relay , which placed fourth. Her performances garnered significant media attention as a teenage phenom, highlighting her potential amid the challenges of her first global stage. Later that year, McIntosh competed at the 2021 World Short Course Swimming Championships in , securing her first major international medals. She won gold in the 400 m individual medley, setting a world junior record of 4:25.78, and silver medals in the 200 m individual medley (2:06.89) and 400 m freestyle (3:57.87). Additionally, she earned gold as part of 4 × 200 m freestyle team (7:45.35). These results marked a breakthrough, with McIntosh claiming four medals overall and rapidly ascending in the world rankings for individual medley events. Throughout the 2021 season, McIntosh balanced her demanding training schedule with virtual schooling at Silverthorn Collegiate Institute in , , amid the ongoing . This flexible learning environment allowed her to maintain academic progress while preparing for high-stakes competitions, a challenge she reflected on as key to her development during a disrupted year.

2022 season

McIntosh began her 2022 season strongly at the Canadian Swimming Trials in April, where she secured victories in the 200 m butterfly, 400 m individual medley, and 800 m freestyle, qualifying for the upcoming while setting national records in the process. At the in in June, the 15-year-old McIntosh earned her first senior international medals, including silver in the 400 m freestyle (3:59.39), gold in the 200 m butterfly (2:05.20, world junior record), bronze as part of the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, and gold in the 400 m individual medley (4:29.01, world junior record). These performances marked her emergence as a dominant force, with particular refinement in her technique contributing to her world junior record and gold in that event. Following , McIntosh competed at the in Birmingham in July and August, capturing three gold medals: in the 400 m individual medley (4:29.01, Commonwealth Games record), 200 m individual medley (2:08.70, world junior record), and as the of the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay (7:54.00, Commonwealth Games record). She also added silvers in the 400 m freestyle and 800 m freestyle, along with a bronze in the 200 m freestyle, totaling six medals and establishing her as Canada's most decorated athlete at the Games. In preparation for the short course season, McIntosh focused on technical adjustments and endurance training later in the year. At the (25 m) in in December, she claimed silver in the 800 m freestyle (8:07.12, national record) and contributed to relay medals, including a silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle. Her breakout year drew widespread media attention, positioning her as Canada's next superstar following her Olympic debut momentum from 2021.

2023 season

McIntosh opened the 2023 season with commanding performances at the Bell Canadian Trials in from March 28 to April 2, where she qualified for the by winning multiple events and shattering . She set a new world in the women's 400 m freestyle (3:56.08), while also establishing Canadian in the 200 m freestyle (1:55.79), 200 m butterfly (2:05.15), and 200 m individual medley (2:08.64), along with junior world in the latter two events. At the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, from July 23 to 30, McIntosh secured two individual gold medals, a feat that made her the first Canadian swimmer to win multiple individual golds at a single edition of the event. She defended her 200 m butterfly title with a dominant victory in 2:04.06, lowering her own world junior record by over a second and finishing more than 1.4 seconds ahead of silver medalist Tang Qianting of . Two days later, she captured gold in the 400 m individual medley in 4:27.11, establishing a new championship record and outpacing American silver medalist by over four seconds. McIntosh also claimed bronze in the 200 m freestyle final (1:55.72, a Canadian record) behind Australia's and , and anchored the Canadian women's 4 × 100 m medley relay to bronze (3:57.85), contributing a swift 58.80 split on the freestyle leg. These results marked her most successful Worlds to date, with four medals overall. Following Fukuoka, McIntosh's performances elevated her to world number one rankings in the 200 m butterfly and 400 m individual medley for the year, as recognized by Swimming World Magazine. She closed out the long-course season with a victory in the 400 m freestyle (4:00.30) at the 2023 U.S. Open Swimming Championships in , in December, defeating American Mary-Sophie Harvey. These accomplishments solidified her status as a leading figure in women's , building on her multi-medal success from the 2022 Championships in .

2024 season

McIntosh began her 2024 season with a dominant performance at the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Trials in in May, where she qualified for the Paris Olympics by setting a in the women's 400m individual medley with a time of 4:24.38. She also won the 400m freestyle in 3:59.03 and the 200m freestyle in 1:53.69, both national records, while posting strong times in the 200m butterfly (2:04.33) and 200m individual medley. These results built on her momentum from the previous year's in Fukuoka. At the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, McIntosh achieved historic success, becoming the first Canadian woman to win multiple individual gold medals in a single Games. She claimed gold in the 400m individual medley on July 29, finishing in 4:26.36 to defend her Olympic title from while setting an Olympic record. The following day, she earned silver in the 400m freestyle, touching in 3:59.13 behind Australia's . On August 1, McIntosh won her second gold in the 200m butterfly with an Olympic record of 2:03.03, edging out China's Zhang Yufei. She completed her individual medal haul two days later with gold in the 200m individual medley, breaking the Olympic record in 2:06.56 to become the first Canadian athlete to win three gold medals at one Summer Olympics. McIntosh also anchored the Canadian women's 4x200m freestyle relay team, which finished fourth in 7:46.05. Following the Olympics, McIntosh returned to Toronto for rest and reflection, resuming school as a high school senior while adjusting to heightened media attention as Canada's breakout star and the Games' "poster child." Her performances drew widespread acclaim, with outlets highlighting her maturity and dominance at age 17, positioning her as a national icon. McIntosh capped the year at the 2024 World Short Course Swimming Championships in , , in December, where she won three gold medals and set world records in each event. On , she shattered the 400m freestyle with 3:50.25 in the final. She followed with gold in the 200m butterfly on , setting a of 1:59.32. The next day, McIntosh completed the sweep by winning the 400m individual medley in a 4:15.48, over three seconds faster than the previous mark.

2025 season

Following her triumphant performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she secured three gold medals, Summer McIntosh entered the 2025 season with intensified training focused on enhancing her freestyle technique and endurance. She expanded her event repertoire to include the 800m freestyle, a distance she had not previously contested at major international championships, aiming to challenge veterans like in a highly anticipated matchup. This preparation paid dividends at the Canadian Trials in June, where she set a in the 400m individual medley with a time of 4:23.65. McIntosh dominated the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in , held from July 11 to August 3, capturing four gold medals and one bronze to total five medals overall. She opened with victory in the 400m freestyle, followed by a world-record swim of 2:05.70 in the 200m individual medley on July 28. Her third gold came in the 200m butterfly on July 31, where she set a championship record and personal best of 2:01.99. McIntosh closed the meet with another championship record in the 400m individual medley on August 3, finishing in 4:25.78 to claim her fourth gold. She earned bronze in the 800m freestyle on August 2, finishing third behind Ledecky and in 8:07.29 after leading early but fading in the final stages. For her exceptional performance, McIntosh was named Female Swimmer of the Meet, joining an elite group as the third swimmer to win five individual medals at a single World Championships. In 2025, McIntosh withdrew from all three stops of the FINA World Cup tour—Carmel (October 11-13), Westmont (October 17-19), and (October 24-26)—due to an undisclosed illness that struck unexpectedly before the opening event. She prioritized rest and recovery, announcing her return to training by late October while expressing optimism for future competitions. At 19 years old, McIntosh's five-medal haul at the Worlds further solidified her status as one of 's premier talents, bringing her career World Championships total to 13 medals, including eight golds.

Competitive results

Olympic Games

Summer McIntosh made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Games at age 14, becoming the youngest member of Team Canada. She competed in the women's 400 m freestyle, finishing fourth in the final with a time of 4:02.42, which set a new Canadian record. McIntosh also contributed to the Canadian women's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay as the lead-off swimmer, posting a split of 1:55.74 as the team won silver overall in 7:43.36. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, McIntosh achieved a historic performance, becoming the first Canadian to win three gold medals in a single Summer Games. She earned silver in the women's 400 m freestyle, finishing second in 3:58.37 behind Australia's . McIntosh then claimed gold in the 200 m butterfly with an Olympic record time of 2:03.03, edging out the ' Regan Smith by 0.81 seconds. She followed with another gold in the 400 m individual medley, dominating the field to win in 4:27.71, more than five seconds ahead of silver medalist of the . McIntosh anchored the Canadian women's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, which placed fourth in 7:46.05.
OlympicsEventPlacementTimeNotes
2020Women's 400 m freestyle4th4:02.42Canadian record
2020Women's 4 × 200 m freestyle (lead-off)Silver1:55.74 (split)Team time 7:43.36
Paris 2024Women's 400 m freestyleSilver3:58.37-
Paris 2024Women's 200 m butterflyGold2:03.03Olympic record
Paris 2024Women's 400 m individual medleyGold4:27.71-
Paris 2024Women's 4 × 200 m freestyle (anchor)4th7:46.05 (team)-
McIntosh's development in the , refined through targeted training since her junior years, was evident in her gold, where she executed efficient undulation and a powerful finish to secure the victory. Her relay contributions have been pivotal, with fast splits providing competitive starts and closes in both and , underscoring her versatility in team events. Across two , McIntosh has amassed three gold medals and one silver.

World Aquatics Championships

Summer McIntosh has established herself as a dominant force at the , competing in both long course (50m) and short course (25m) events. Her performances have showcased exceptional versatility, particularly in individual medley and disciplines, where she has consistently medaled and set championship records. Across five editions from 2021 to 2025, McIntosh has amassed 12 gold medals, 4 silvers, and 2 bronzes, contributing to Canada's strong presence in international .

Long Course (50m)

McIntosh debuted at the long course in 2022 in , , where, at age 15, she claimed two gold medals and one silver. She won the women's 200 m butterfly in 2:05.74, edging out the competition in a display of technical precision in her strongest stroke. She followed with gold in the 400 m individual medley, finishing in 4:30.34 to defend her junior title on the senior stage. Additionally, she earned silver in the 400 m freestyle behind of . These results marked her as the youngest Canadian to win multiple medals at a long course Worlds. In 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan, McIntosh defended her titles in the 200 m butterfly (2:04.06) and 400 m individual medley (4:27.11, championship record), becoming the first Canadian woman to win back-to-back golds in both events. Her 400 m IM time shattered the previous championship record by over two seconds, underscoring her medley prowess. She also secured bronze in the 200 m freestyle (1:54.50), for a total of three medals. McIntosh's most dominant showing came in 2025 in , where she won four individual gold medals and one bronze, becoming the third to claim five individual medals at a single long course Worlds. She triumphed in the 400 m freestyle (3:56.39), 200 m individual medley (2:07.31), 200 m butterfly (2:01.99, championship record), and 400 m individual medley (4:25.78, championship record). The 800 m freestyle yielded bronze (8:07.39). Her victories highlighted her evolution into a multi-event threat, with championship records in butterfly and medley events reinforcing her technical dominance.
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
20222 (200 m butterfly, 400 m IM)1 (400 m freestyle)03
2023Fukuoka2 (200 m butterfly, 400 m IM)01 (200 m freestyle)3
20254 (400 m freestyle, 200 m IM, 200 m butterfly, 400 m IM)01 (800 m freestyle)5
Total81211

Short Course (25m)

McIntosh's short course debut occurred in 2021 in , , at age 14, where she became the youngest Canadian to medal at a senior Worlds. She earned gold as part of the 4×200 m freestyle relay team (7:44.95) and silvers in the 400 m freestyle (3:55.62) and 4×100 m medley relay (3:50.10). These achievements signaled her rapid rise in the shorter pool format. Returning in 2024 in , , McIntosh elevated her status by winning three gold medals and one silver, while setting three s. She dominated the 400 m freestyle (3:50.25, ), 200 m butterfly (1:59.96, ), and 400 m individual medley (4:18.01, ), demonstrating superior speed and endurance in the 25 m pool. A silver in the 200 m (1:59.96, Canadian record) capped her haul. Her performances contributed to Canada's 12-medal total at the meet.
YearLocationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
20211 (4×200 m freestyle )2 (400 m freestyle, 4×100 m medley )03
20243 (400 m freestyle, 200 m , 400 m )1 (200 m backstroke)04
Total4307
Overall, McIntosh's record reflects her progression from promising junior to elite multi-medalist, with a focus on individual events where she has won 11 of her 12 golds. Her success in individual medley and —securing golds in the 400 m at every long course edition and the 200 m across multiple years—has set multiple championship records and established her as a benchmark for versatility in women's .

Other international competitions

McIntosh achieved significant success at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, where she won gold medals in the women's 200 m individual medley (2:10.29) and 400 m individual medley (4:29.01, a Commonwealth Games record). She also claimed silver medals in the 400 m freestyle (4:07.36) and 200 m butterfly (2:06.97), as well as bronze medals in the 800 m freestyle (8:25.04) and the 4 x 200 m freestyle relay. These six medals made her Canada's most decorated athlete at the Games. In the World Swimming Cup series, McIntosh debuted with a in the 400 m freestyle at the 2022 Toronto stop, finishing in 3:51.19 to win by over three seconds. She participated in subsequent legs of the series in 2023, posting competitive times in medley and events, though specific counts from those meets are limited due to her focus on major championships. In 2025, McIntosh withdrew from all three stops (Carmel, Westmont, and ) due to an undisclosed illness, marking her first absence from the circuit. As a junior swimmer, McIntosh competed in age-group international events, including the 2021 World Aquatics Junior Championships where she contributed to Canada's in the 4 x 100 m medley , but her primary junior accolades came through domestic meets that led to senior breakthroughs. Her early international exposure helped establish her versatility across freestyle, , and medley disciplines. McIntosh has frequently qualified for international competitions through dominant performances at the Canadian Swimming Trials. At the 2025 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, she won gold in the 400 m freestyle (3:54.18, ), 200 m (2:02.26), 200 m individual medley (2:05.70, ), and 400 m individual medley (4:23.65, ), earning selection for the . Similar highlights include her 2024 Trials wins in the 400 m freestyle (3:59.06) and 400 m individual medley to qualify for the Paris Olympics, and her 2023 Trials victory in the 400 m freestyle (3:56.08, first senior ) for the Fukuoka Worlds. These trials results underscore her role in elevating Canada's program on the global stage.

Records and achievements

World records

Summer McIntosh has established multiple world records in both long course (50-meter) and short course (25-meter) pools, primarily in medley and freestyle events, showcasing her versatility across strokes. Her breakthroughs began in 2023 and accelerated through 2025, often during major competitions like the and national trials. These records highlight her dominance in endurance-based events, frequently surpassing marks held for years by predecessors such as and .

Long Course World Records

McIntosh's long course records center on the individual medley and freestyle disciplines. In the women's 400-meter individual medley, she first claimed the at the in Fukuoka, , with a time of 4:25.87, eclipsing Hosszú's 2013 mark of 4:26.36 by 0.49 seconds. She improved it to 4:24.38 at the 2024 Canadian Trials in May, then further to 4:23.65 at the 2025 Canadian Trials in , in June, lowering her previous best by 0.73 seconds and becoming the first swimmer since in 2008 to set three individual s at a single long course meet. For the 400-meter freestyle, McIntosh initially set the record at 3:56.08 during the 2023 Bell Canadian Trials in March, but it was surpassed later that year; she reclaimed it at the 2025 Canadian Trials with 3:54.18, outpacing Ariarne Titmus's intervening 3:55.38 by 1.20 seconds. In the 200-meter individual medley, she shattered Hosszú's 10-year-old record of 2:06.12 at the 2025 Canadian Trials, finishing in 2:05.70 and marking her third in five days at the event.
EventTimeDateLocationPrevious Record HolderNotes
400 m individual medley4:25.87July 28, 2023Fukuoka, Japan (HUN), 4:26.36 (2013)Set during final
400 m individual medley4:24.38May 2024, Herself, 4:25.87Updated at Canadian Trials
400 m freestyle3:56.08March 29, 2023, (AUS), 3:56.34 (2021)Initial set; later broken and reclaimed
200 m individual medley2:05.70June 9, 2025Victoria, BC, (HUN), 2:06.12 (2015)Set during Canadian Trials final
400 m individual medley4:23.65June 11, 2025Victoria, BC, Herself, 4:24.38Third update; part of three-record meet
400 m freestyle3:54.18June 7, 2025Victoria, BC, (AUS), 3:55.38 (2023)Reclaimed during Canadian Trials final

Short Course World Records

In short course pools, McIntosh dominated the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in , , setting records across three events and contributing to Canada's medal haul. She opened the meet by breaking the 400-meter freestyle world record in the final on December 10, 2024, with 3:50.25, surpassing Allison Schmitt's 2012 mark of 3:51.05 by 0.80 seconds. Two days later, on December 12, she set the 200-meter record at 1:59.32, demolishing Mireia Belmonte's 2014 standard of 1:59.61 by 0.29 seconds in the final. She also claimed the 400-meter individual medley record at 4:15.48 during the same championships, improving on Belmonte's 2017 time of 4:18.94 by over three seconds.
EventTimeDateLocationPrevious Record HolderNotes
400 m freestyle3:50.25December 10, 2024Budapest, (USA), 3:51.05 (2012)Set in final
200 m butterfly1:59.32December 12, 2024Budapest, (ESP), 1:59.61 (2014)Second gold and record of the meet
400 m individual medley4:15.48December 2024Budapest, (ESP), 4:18.94 (2017)Third individual record at championships

World Junior Records

As one of the youngest elite swimmers, McIntosh has set numerous world junior records (for athletes under 18) in long course events, particularly in medley and butterfly. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, she established the junior world record in the 200-meter butterfly with 2:03.03 during the final on August 1, improving on her own previous junior mark and securing Olympic gold. In the 400-meter individual medley, her 4:24.38 from the 2024 Canadian Swimming Trials also stands as the junior world record, set just before turning 18. She holds additional junior records in the 200-meter freestyle (1:53.91, set at the 2023 Canadian Swimming Trials) and 200-meter individual medley (2:06.89, updated in 2023), reflecting her early prowess in multi-stroke events. These junior marks often served as stepping stones to her senior world records.

Personal best times

Summer McIntosh has established herself as one of the top swimmers globally through consistent improvements in her personal best times across key events, particularly following the 2024 Olympic Games where she won multiple medals. Post-Olympics, she set several world records in 2025 at the Canadian Swimming Trials, demonstrating significant progression in freestyle, individual medley, and butterfly disciplines. As of November 2025, her times rank her in the top three worldwide in events including the 400 m freestyle, 200 m individual medley, 400 m individual medley, and 200 m butterfly in long course, and similarly dominant in short course equivalents. Her personal bests are tracked in both long course (50 m pools) and short course (25 m pools), with notable advancements in the latter during the 2024 World Short Course Championships. Below is a selection of her lifetime best times in major events, focusing on those where she ranks among the all-time elite.

Long course (50 m)

EventTimeDateMeetNotes
200 m freestyle1:52.632025Canadian Trials#2 all-time
400 m freestyle3:54.18June 2025Canadian TrialsWR, first under 3:55
800 m freestyle8:05.07July 2025PB, beat previous by over 2 seconds
200 m butterfly2:02.26June 2025Canadian Trials#2 all-time, Canadian record
200 m individual medley2:05.70June 2025Canadian TrialsWR, broke 10-year-old mark
400 m individual medley4:23.65June 2025Canadian TrialsWR, lowered own previous by 0.73 s
100 m 59.25August 2024Heat time
200 m 2:05.66July 2023Canadian record
100 m butterfly57.83June 2025Canadian TrialsPB
200 m 2:25.91February 2025Sectional ChampionshipsRelay lead-off
4 × 200 m freestyle relay7:39.58August 2024Split contribution to gold

Short course (25 m)

EventTimeDateMeetNotes
400 m freestyle3:50.25December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsWR, gold
800 m freestyle8:01.91October 2025FINA Swimming World CupCanadian record, improved from 8:07.12
200 m butterfly1:59.32December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsWR, gold
400 m individual medley4:15.48December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsWR, gold
200 m backstroke1:59.96December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsWorld junior record, silver
100 m backstroke56.37December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsHeat PB
200 m freestyle1:51.72November 2024FINA Swimming World Cup#3 all-time
100 m freestyle52.99December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsRelay lead-off
4 × 200 m freestyle relay7:35.68December 2024World Short Course ChampionshipsSplit to gold

Awards and honors

Major awards

Summer McIntosh's standout performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she secured three gold medals in the 200 m , 200 m individual medley, and 400 m individual medley alongside a silver in the 400 m freestyle, earned her widespread international acclaim as one of the event's top performers. Her Olympic success positioned her as a leading contender for major global honors, highlighting her versatility across , medley, and freestyle disciplines. At the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in , McIntosh was honored as Female Swimmer of the Meet after winning four individual gold medals in the 400 m freestyle, 200 m individual medley, 200 m butterfly, and 400 m individual medley, plus a in the 800 m freestyle, marking one of the most dominant showings in the competition's history. Her achievements at the in Fukuoka, including gold medals in the 200 m butterfly and 400 m individual medley, were recognized as a pivotal breakthrough, solidifying her status as a triple-medal winner in individual events that year and contributing to her rising global profile. Beyond competition-specific honors, McIntosh was nominated for the 2025 Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year, acknowledging her Olympic triumphs and subsequent dominance at the 2025 Worlds as a transformative force in women's . She also received the Swimming World Magazine Female World Swimmer of the Year award for 2024, a unanimous selection based on her Olympic triple gold haul. By age 19, McIntosh had amassed 4 Olympic medals and 13 medals, establishing her as the most decorated Canadian female swimmer in history.

National and other recognitions

In recognition of her outstanding performances, Summer McIntosh has received numerous national honors from Canadian sporting organizations. She was named Swimming Canada's Breakout Performer of the Year and Junior Female Swimmer of the Year in , highlighting her rapid rise following her debut at the 2020 Olympics. In and 2023, she earned the Female Swimmer of the Year (Olympic Program) award from Swimming Canada, establishing her as a dominant force in the sport. McIntosh secured the same honor for a third consecutive year in 2024, matching the achievement of fellow Canadian swimmer Kylie Masse from 2017 to 2019, after her historic three-gold performance at the Paris Olympics. On a broader national scale, McIntosh was awarded the as Canada's top athlete of 2024, voted by members of the Canadian sports media, becoming the first swimmer to win since in 2016. She also received the from as the Female Athlete of the Year in 2024, recognizing her contributions to Canadian sports excellence. Additionally, McIntosh served as one of Team Canada's flag bearers at the Closing Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, a ceremonial honor bestowed for her and achievements. At the provincial level, McIntosh was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class, celebrated for her record-breaking feats including multiple Olympic and medals. She was also honored as the Athlete of the Year in the 2025 inductee class of the Sport Hall of Honour, acknowledging her impact on the city's sporting legacy as a Toronto native. These recognitions underscore her status as a trailblazing figure in Canadian .

References

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