McIntosh Mesmerises With 2:05.70 World Record 200IM Inside Hosszu's 2015 Mark
"It’s been one of those records that’s always been in the back of my mind since trials two years ago. I’ve been knocking on the door on this one. I’ve just tried to chip away, chip away at it. To finally do it, it’s kind of like ‘Wow, I’ve finally got that done’.” - Summer McIntosh
Summer McIntosh became the first Canadian in history to hold the World 200m medley record when she dropped the clock at a blistering 2:05.70 on the third day of racing at Canadian Trials in Victoria.
The 18-year-old claimed Olympic gold at Paris 2024 in 2:06.56. A 0.86sec improvement to the World record 2:05.70, the first sub-2:06 in history, lifts her from No3 to No 1 on the all-time performers list, all suits, and from No2 to No1 ahead of Hosszu in textile.
The standard had stood to Katinka Hosszu, of Hungary almost 10 years, since the 2015 World Championships.
Summer breezed past a summer past on butterfly, stayed ahead of pace on backstroke, found herself 0.11sec off the pace after breaststroke but came off the last wall as a 400m free World record holder determined to be the first since Shane Gould in 1972 to hold the short medley and the eight-length freestyle records. In 29.95, the Canadian nailed her new standard to the mast of history ahead of Hosszu's 30.48 home-comer 10 years ago:
- 27.19; 57.99; 1:35.75; 2:05.70 McIntosh 09/06/2025
- 27.30; 58.94; 1:35.64; 2:06.12 Hosszu 03/08/2015
The record was in her mind's eye, said McIntosh, coached by Brent Arckey at Sarasota Sharks in Florida, via Swimming Canada:
“It’s been one of those records that’s always been in the back of my mind since trials two years ago. I’ve been knocking on the door on this one. I’ve just tried to chip away, chip away at it. To finally do it, it’s kind of like ‘Wow, I’ve finally got that done.’ ”
It was McIntosh’s second world record in three days after her 3:54.18 in the 400m free on the opening day of action in Victoria last Saturday.
A day later, she rattled another global standard, setting Commonwealth and Canadian records in 8:05.07 in the 800m freestyle, just under a second shy of Katie Ledecky's World mark:
Craig Lord
The 200 fly, the 400IM and the 200 free are on the horizon. Says McIntosh:
“I’m really trying to take it one race at a time. Really kind of cruising the heats and then coming to every final super locked in and focused.”
Meanwhile, there are no trials and championships without pools full of competitors, and closest to McIntosh was Mary-Sophie Harvey, on a personal best of 2:08.78. That was good for a third ticket to Singapore World titles in July after victories in the 100m butterfly and 200m breaststroke.
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