Swimming star Summer McIntosh of Toronto set a world record in the 400-metre freestyle event on Saturday while competing in the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria.
McIntosh posted a time of three minutes, 54.18 seconds at Commonwealth Place to establish the new mark. She trimmed 1.20 seconds off the 2023 record set by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus.
She beat the other swimmers in Victoria by more than 13 seconds.
The Toronto teenager celebrated her fourth career long-course world record by slapping the water twice with her right hand then pumping her fist.
It was an unusual show of emotion from the usually stoic 18-year-old.
“You can see my outburst of emotion because I was really not expecting that time,” said McIntosh.
The 400 free was her first-ever world record when she swam 3:56.08 at the 2023 Trials, but Titmus lowered the mark to 3:55.38 at world championships later that year. McIntosh finished behind Titmus for silver at last summer’s Paris Olympics to go with the gold medals she won in the 200 and 400 individual medley and 200 butterfly.
“Just seeing the time, after two years of really pushing my hardest every day and training, not seeing the results. It is just all that energy and anger, blood, sweat and tears built up. Having an amazing swim is just really satisfying,” McIntosh said.
She also holds the 400 IM world record, plus the 400 free, 200 butterfly and 400 IM in the short course pool.
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“I knew my training has been really strong these past couple of months,” said McIntosh, who won the Northern Star Award as Canada’s Athlete of the Year for 2024. “I knew I was able to do something special.”
Ella Jansen of Burlington, Ont., finished second in 4:07.36, under the AQUA A qualifying time of 4:10.23, good enough to be selected to Team Canada for the World Aquatics Championships July 26-Aug. 3 in Singapore.
It was also a big night for Calgary native Cole Pratt, who trains at the High Performance Centre in Vancouver. After battling through years of injuries the 22-year-old returned to the top of the podium, winning the men’s 100-metre backstroke in 54.27. That was below the Swimming Canada secondary standard of 54.48, earning him selection to his first national team since 2021.
“That was a really long time coming,” said Pratt, who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Games but missed qualifying for Paris due to shoulder, neck and back injuries.
“Coming back to this was really hard. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to quit every day. I stuck with it and now I’m here.”
Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett showed he had collected no dust after taking a break from the sport. The S14 swimmer with the Red Deer Catlina Swim Club won the men’s 100-metre multi-class breaststroke in 1:05.13.
“I took a little bit of a mental health break, so we’re just working on getting our strength back,” said the native of Parksville, B.C., who won three medals at the Paris Paralympics and was named co-flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.
In other races, Kylie Masse of Lasalle, Ont., an Olympic medallist and world champion, cruised to victory in the women’s 100-metre backstroke in 58.18 seconds. Finishing on her heels was Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, B.C., in 58.93.
Masse was surprised with her time, which was faster than the 58.29 she swam at the Paris Olympics where she was fourth in the 100.
“I haven’t really processed it but I’m really happy,” said Masse, who has a chance to continue her streak of winning at least one medal at every major international championships and Games since 2015.
“This year has been different, just taking a little bit of a step back but at the same time still putting in the work. I just feel like I have a different perspective on the sport. I’m really grateful to be here.”
Ruck posted the third-best 100 back time of her career and her fastest in six years.
“I had no expectations,” said the three-time Olympian. “I touched, looked at the time and was very excited and happy with what I saw.”
Two-time Olympian Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., experienced a first when she won the women’s 200-metre breaststroke in 2:23.40. Paris Olympian Sophie Angus, who trains at the High Performance Centre in Ontario, was second in 2:24.84. Both swimmers were under the AQUA A qualifying time of 2:25.91.
For Harvey, who trains with CAMO in Montreal, it was her first victory at a trials since she started attending the events in 2012.
“It’s kind of crazy,” she said. “I never thought that would be the first one. I’m pretty pleased with how I am feeling in the water right now, considering I’m not fully rested for this week.”
Meanwhile, Ethan Ekk earned selection to his first-ever senior national team, winning a close men’s 400 free in 3:49.57. That was just 0.06 seconds ahead of Jordi Vilchez of the Barrie Trojans, and under the Swimming Canada secondary standard.
“That was a very hard race, I can’t lie. That last 50 was a battle for all of us,” said Ekk, 18, a Tallahassee, Fla., native whose parents are from Vancouver.
“I was aware of them the whole race. It wasn’t until that last 50 I just put my head down and didn’t know where anybody was at. I kind of just closed my eyes and tried to move as fast as I could,” Ekk said. “I heard the announcer say ‘Ethan Ekk,’ and I was like ‘Yes!’ I was so pumped and excited and I’m so happy to represent Canada.”
Oliver Dawson of the Grande Prairie Piranhas won the men’s 200-m breaststroke in 2:11.25. The 17-year-old set a national age group record and earned selection to the world championships team by being under the Swimming Canada secondary standard.
In other Para swimming events, Ali Diehl, an S9 swimmer who trains with the Prince Albert Sharks, won the women’s multiclass 100-m breaststroke in 1:24.44.
Aly Van Wyck-Smart of Toronto, who trains with Whitby Swimming, took the women’s 50-metres S2 event in 1:47.31.
