The Canadian teen trying to make Olympic history and break Australian hearts
By Tom Decent
Earlier this month swimming fans thought they had stumbled upon a scoop in the back channels of the internet.
A potential clue appeared on a website for a Canadian company that manages investment solutions.
“DID SUMMER MCINTOSH’S NEW SPONSOR JUST LEAK HER OLYMPIC TRIALS SCHEDULE?” screamed a headline on the SwimSwam news website.
Ever since Summer McIntosh stepped out as a 14-year-old at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, there has been immense interest in the Canadian teenager, who will celebrate her 18th birthday a week after the Games finish in Paris.
It is not hyperbole that McIntosh could become the female equivalent of Michael Phelps if everything goes to plan in Paris. (McIntosh named her cat Mikey after Phelps, who is widely regarded as the greatest Olympian ever with 28 medals to his name).
Summer McIntosh at the world swimming championships in Fukuoka last year.Credit: AP
The Toronto native is certainly carrying the weight of a nation, a country that has only won two swimming gold medals this century.
McIntosh would have finished sixth on the medal tally at last year’s world swimming championships if she competed as an individual. And everyone is curious to know what individual events McIntosh will enter.
The first clues about McIntosh’s Paris schedule will be revealed next week at Canada’s Olympic trials.
First up on Monday (Tuesday morning AEST) is the women’s 400m freestyle. This time last year, at Canada’s trials, McIntosh stunned the world by breaking Ariarne Titmus’ world record.
Summer McIntosh gives Ariarne Titmus a thumbs up after the 400m freestyle final in Fukuoka.Credit: Getty
It was an ominous message to the reigning Olympic champion just before the world championships in Fukuoka.
However, the Australian swam the race of her life in Japan to regain her world record and crush McIntosh, who finished fourth behind American Katie Ledecky and New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather.
“I feel like Katie and I have such experience racing in high-pressure situations,” Titmus told this masthead last year. “I feel like we know how to do it. I knew that coming into that race Summer hadn’t had that experience racing under pressure.”
McIntosh was able to brush off the disappointment on night one in Japan by winning gold in the 400m individual medley and 200m butterfly, to go with bronze medals in the 200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay.
Ariarne Titmus with her 400m freestyle gold medal at the world championships alongside Katie Ledecky (left) and Erika Fairweather.Credit: Getty
But back to the online ‘leak’. One of McIntosh’s sponsors, Ninepoint Partners, sparked a frenzy among swimming fans by listing five events on its website that the teenager would enter in Toronto.
However, official entry sheets show McIntosh will actually enter seven individual races at trials: the 400m freestyle (Monday, local time), 200m freestyle (Tuesday), 100m backstroke (Wednesday), 400m individual medley (Thursday), 100m freestyle (Friday), 200m butterfly (Saturday) and 200m individual medley (Sunday).
Earlier this year, McIntosh became the first person in 13 years to beat Ledecky in a 800m freestyle final, but won’t race the event in Paris because of a clash with the 200m IM.
There is a decent chance McIntosh will qualify for - and enter - five individual events at the Paris Olympics; the 200m and 400m freestyle, both medleys (200m and 400m), plus the 200m butterfly. McIntosh’s best times in all five events, since the start of 2023, rank in the top three among her peers.
No female swimmer has ever won five individual gold medals at the same Olympics. East Germany’s Kristin Otto holds the record with four golds at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Phelps won five individual gold medals 2004 and 2008, plus others in relays.
Shane Gould’s haul of five individual medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics - three gold, one silver, one bronze - is still the record for women. Emma McKeon won seven medals in Tokyo, but four were in relays.
Canada’s trials will be a fascinating entrée to the main event, however, there is a group of Australians who would love to spoil the McIntosh’s second Olympic campaign. Titmus is top of the list - in the 200m and 400m freestyle - but says she doesn’t waste much energy worrying about her rivals.
“When I was younger I was a massive swimming nerd and I’d keep track of every meet going on and look at all the splits. I don’t really watch it,” Titmus said.
McIntosh has the world at her feet.Credit: Funkita
“I’ll probably look at what the girls do but it can’t change anything I do. If I was to sit there and go, ‘oh, I saw one of the girls from another country swim a really good time, I’ve got to train harder’. Well, obviously I’m not prepared the best I can for the Games. I don’t think it’s going to change anything for me. It can maybe add a little bit of fuel to the fire but I know I’m doing the best I possibly can.”
Titmus is also the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m freestyle but has been beaten a handful of times by teammate Mollie O’Callaghan, who broke a 14-year-old world record at the recent world championships. Both Australians have superior personal bests to McIntosh.
In the 400m IM, McIntosh is the world record holder and almost certain to win gold, with Australian Jenna Forrester looming as a medal chance.
In the 200m IM, Australian Kaylee McKeown will be desperate to cause an upset, which is very possible.
Australia’s Kaylee McKeown will take on McIntosh in the 200m IM in Paris.Credit: Getty
In the 200m butterfly, Australian Elizabeth Dekkers finished second to McIntosh in Fukuoka but the Canadian is highly fancied for victory.
McIntosh has tried to keep a low profile since Fukuoka.
“It’s super important to have that balance and have a life outside the pool,” McIntosh told this masthead last year.
“For me, it’s just hanging out with my friends or going to the mall. If I’m back home I would probably just chill with my cats. I’m pretty tired from training.”
Canada’s trials are one thing but doing it on the biggest stage will be McIntosh’s biggest test.
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.