McIntosh sets swimming world record in women’s 400m freestyle for her 1st world short course win | CBC Sports

Swimmer Summer McIntosh, the first Canadian to win three gold medals in a summer or winter Olympic Games, captured the women’s 400-metre freestyle in world record time for her first individual world short course championship gold medal on Tuesday in Budapest, Hungary.

In her first major race since the Paris Games in July, McIntosh led from start to finish, touching the wall in three minutes 50.25 seconds. The previous world mark of 3:51.30 was set by Li Bingjie of China on Oct. 27, 2022.

Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., took bronze in 3:54.88, while Australia’s Lani Pallister (3:53.73) collected silver.

“To start it off with the world record is always nice,” said McIntosh, who was awarded $25,000 US for the world mark. Her 3:52.80 previous best in the 400 free was also a Canadian record.

“This is definitely one of my favourite, if not my favourite, pool in the world because it holds so many memories and it’s a really fast pool,” McIntosh told Devin Heroux of CBC Sports this week at a training session ahead of the event.

McIntosh will also be competing in the 400 individual medley, 200 butterfly and 200 backstroke, the first time she’ll be competing internationally in a backstroke event. 

The short course championship is contested in a 25m pool instead of 50m.

Two years ago in Budapest, a 15-year-old McIntosh became the youngest Canadian to win a world title, capturing her first two individual titles at long course world championships in the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley in world junior record times.

Brent Arckey, her coach with Sarasota Sharks swim club in Florida, says this week’s competition is another opportunity to evaluate McIntosh and build off of her Olympic performance.

“She can be as good as she wants here. You know she’s going to ring it out. When she gets behind the blocks you know she’s going to give you 110 per cent,” Arckey said.  “She’s proud to wear the flag and she’s going to do everything she can to put on a show.”

McIntosh is joined by 17 Canadians who make up a strong team with depth and talent including Kylie Masse, Sydney Pickrem and Penny Oleksiak. Fifteen out of the 18 swimmers on the roster competed on the Paris team that won eight medals.

The meet ends Sunday when McIntosh races the 200 backstroke.