Canadian Summer McIntosh emphatically reclaimed the world record in the 400m freestyle ahead of a likely showdown with Katie Ledecky at this summer’s World Championships.
McIntosh, a triple gold medalist at the Paris Olympics, clocked 3 minutes, 54.18 seconds at the Canadian trials for worlds in Victoria, British Columbia, on Saturday night.
The normally stoic 18-year-old was so thrilled with the time that she slammed her right arm into the water in celebration.
She crushed the record of 3:55.38 set in 2023 by two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus of Australia. McIntosh had broken the record earlier in 2023, swimming 3:56.08, before taking silver in the event in Paris behind Titmus.
“I knew that my training has been really good these past few months, and I knew that I could do something special,” she said on the pool deck. “So being able to input my training in doing that — I mean I didn’t think my training would be 54.1 — but I mean I’m really happy with that overall.”
McIntosh credited her recent training in France under temporary coach Fred Vergnoux. She plans to train full-time under a new coach, Bob Bowman, after the World Championships in Singapore in July and August.
“I didn’t just really feel a lot of pain in that (race),” she said. “I think I just felt so strong throughout, and that’s never been the case in the 400m freestyle for me. I’m always really, really hurting. But I flipped at the 200, and I was just cruising.”
Ledecky is the third-fastest woman in history in the 400m free. Before Saturday night, she had the world’s best time this year of 3:56.81, when she beat McIntosh in a race last month.
Ledecky and McIntosh are likely to go head-to-head in the 400m free at the World Championships in Singapore on July 27.
They could also meet in the 800m free, should McIntosh decide to swim it after choosing other events at the Paris Games. McIntosh does plan to swim the 800m at trials on Sunday.
Titmus is taking this season off from competition.
McIntosh, Titmus and Ledecky combine to own the top 30-plus times in history in the event.
