Canada’s Summer McIntosh wins gold medal in women’s 400m individual medley | CBC Sports

Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh claimed the first gold medal of her just-burgeoning career Monday night with a dominating victory in the 400-meter individual medley at the Paris Olympics.

The 17-year-old McIntosh collected her first career medal on the opening night of swimming, taking a silver in the 400 freestyle behind Ariarne Titmus — and ahead of Katie Ledecky.

Now, McIntosh has the best colour of all.

“I’m just trying to make team Canada proud, and set the tone,” said McIntosh. “I couldn’t really see anything until the breaststroke, then I knew I was in a comfortable lead going into that last 100m. It was an amazing feeling.”

She pushed the pace hard through the first half of the grueling race — the butterfly and backstroke legs — to leave everyone in her wake except American Katie Grimes.

“I was very happy to get the job done, to stand on top of the podium and get the gold medal. It’s always just about having fun, as well as pushing my body to its limits.”

WATCH l McIntosh awarded her 1st Olympic gold medal:

Summer McIntosh receives her 1st Olympic gold medal

Watch the Canadian flag rise to the rafters after Toronto’s Summer McIntosh is awarded her first Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024.

McIntosh was under her own world-record pace, but couldn’t keep it going. She touched in 4 minutes, 27.71 seconds, more than three seconds off the mark of 4:24.38 she set at the Canadian trials in May.

But it was more than good enough to vanquish the field in the Olympic final.

Grimes, who is also swimming the open water event in Paris, held on to claim the silver in 4:33.40. The Americans also grabbed the bronze when Emma Weyant touched in 4:34.93.

She’s racing four individual events with the 200-metre medley and butterfly coming up later this week.

The teenager is also expected to race in the relay finals.

“I try to take every event individually, one by one,” said McIntosh. “Getting on the podium was a great way to start. I try not to get too high or too low.”

Mary-Sophie Harvey 4th in women’s 200m freestyle

Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que.,, finished fourth in the women’s 200m freestyle final, just 0.74 seconds shy of a podium.

Mollie O’Callaghan lead an Australian 1-2 finish with an Olympic record time of one minute 53.27 seconds, ahead of Ariarne Titmus (1:53.81). Hong Kong’s Siobhan Bernardette Haughey took bronze.

Also on Monday, Kylie Masse of Lasalle, Ont., and Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm advanced to the women’s 100m backstroke in fifth and sixth places, respectively.

WATCH l Gold medallist McIntosh speaks with CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux:

Summer McIntosh hopes her gold medal victory will inspire future generations of Canadian swimmers

Toronto’s Summer McIntosh spoke with CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux poolside after winning the Olympic women’s 400-metre individual medley final at Paris 2024.

Another teen rules

David Popovici made the teenagers 2-for-2 on the night when he pulled off a thrilling victory in the men’s 200 freestyle.

The 19-year-old Romanian was among three swimmers who swapped the lead back and forth on the final lap. First, it was American Luke Hobson edging in front. Then Britain’s Matthew Richards, out in Lane 1, pushed to the lead.

Finally, it was Popovici mustering everything he had to get to the wall in 1:44.72 — a mere two-hundredths ahead of Richards, with Hobson just 0.07 back to earn the bronze.

Britain’s Duncan Scott, the silver medallist in Tokyo three years ago, finished in 1:44.87 to miss out on the podium this time. The top four were separated by a mere 0.15 seconds.

WATCH l McIntosh wins 1st career Olympic medal:

Summer McIntosh swims to silver for Canada’s 1st Paris 2024 medal

Toronto teen Summer McIntosh won her first-career Olympic medal, swimming to silver in the women’s 400m freestyle final. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus won gold, while American Katie Ledecky claimed bronze.