The heat of long-course racing awaits us in in Singapore but Summer McIntosh has made the past five days of victories in Victoria her own Flaming June, the latest in a scorching sequence of pioneering pace-setters a 4:23.65 in the 400m medley.

That's 0.73sec inside her own global standard from Olympic trials in Toronto in May last year en route to gold at the Paris 2024 Games - and 0.03 inside the time at which American Rod Strachan set the men's World record for gold at the Montreal 1976 Games.

All eyes on and plaudits for McIntosh's gain on backstroke: a 1:06.13 split took her 1.19sec and 0.79sec inside the splits she clocked respectively for her previous two World marks in the 400IM. Those plaudits extend to Brent Arckey, head coach, Vern Gambetta and the swimming orchestra at and around the Sarasota Sharks, including family: the sound behind the masterpieces the swimmer is bringing to the stage with every passing meet.

The race Video - CBC:

Watch the videos off all her other swims below ... and take time to listen to the post-400-free World record from Day 1 to hear McIntosh's appreciation of swimming history and the great swims of the past that unfolded in the same pool in Victoria.

In Paris last year it was Olympic gold in the 200 'fly, 200 ands 400 medley and silver in the 400m free as most decorated woman in the pool.

Among McIntosh's first words? "I know I can go faster. " Few would doubt it. 

At 4:23, there's a stretch to go, of course, but take the 4:17.53 in which Canadian medley legend Alex Baumann set his first 400IM World record at Olympic trials in Etobicoke en route to gold at the Los Angeles Games of 1984 and overlay McIntosh's latest time-warpery and she'd have been at the edge of the red markers.

The stunning speed in perspective:

The splits compared: 

• 59.18 (31.43) 2:05.31 (1:06.13) 3:23.33 (1:18.02) 4:23.65 (1:00.32) Summer McIntosh, WR Victoria 11/06/2025
• 59.18 (31.63) 2:06.30 (1:07.32) 3:23.43 (1:17.13) 4:24.38 (1:00.95) Summer McIntosh WR Toronto 2024
• 59.47 (31.65) 2:06.39 (1:06.92) 3:25.31 (1:18.92) 4:25.87 (1:00.56) Summer McIntosh WR Toronto 2023
• 1:00.91; 2:08.39 (1:07.48) 3:24.50 (1:16.11) 4:26.36 (1:01.86) Katinka Hosszu WR Rio 2016 Gold
• 1:02.19; 2:11.73 (1:09.54) 3:29.75 (1:18.02 ) 4:28.43 (58.68) Ye Shiwen WR London 2012 Gold

Here’s another perspective through the timewarp:

Summer McIntosh’s splits were:

• Faster than Mary T. Meagher’s first World 100 ‘fly record in 1980
• Faster than the World record set by American Kaye Hall for Olympic 100m back gold in 1968  
• Not quite as swift as her last WR split, which was faster than the World record set by AmericanClaudia Kolb in the 100m breaststroke in 1964
• Faster than the first five of Dawn Fraser’s 11 100m freestyle world records 

As has been the case ever since it happened, Ye Shiwen's 58.68 conclusion to her Olympic gold swim at London 2012 remains inscrutable, an off-the-chart anomaly at the pace of Ryan Lochte, his then World textile best and four others in the men's final that year.

Not even McIntosh, with her 3:54.18 World record in the 400m free at the start of her bull run this week, could come close to the unexplained speed of the 16-year-old from China 13 years ago in a unique moment in history - unmatched since - when a woman closed an Olympic swimming final faster than some of the men who made the ultimate podium in the equivalent event.

So, Victoria, 2025. Here's the result, with Mary Sophie-Harvey making her latest gain on the clock, 4:35.56, to claim the second ticket to Singapore World Aquatics Championships in July, Olympic trials silver medallist of last year, Ella Jansen, locked out of that particular adventure in 4:39.30:

On the run on records, McIntosh, speaking through Swimming Canada, said:

“During the meet I don’t really like to think about it. I’ll celebrate and then kind of process it and focus on the next race. I know I can go faster. “



Part of the process, this from Sarah Sjöström underpinning the essential:

“The most important thing is to enjoy the process rather than just focusing on the moment you reach your goal. The process is where the real work happens, where you grow, learn, and push your limits. If you don’t find joy in that, then even achieving your goal might not feel as fulfilling as you expected.”

I don't much mention sponsors and the like these days, since a world in which FINA decided to 'discredit' the work of 'critics' by threatening kit makers with loss of contracts if they continued to support the kind of work we did at SwimVortex and still do here at SOS, is a world where true independence sets one apart, particularly in the niche.

That said, worth raising a glass down at the Bull and Bell for a sensational five days of pioneering from McIntosh with Red Bull on her cap and Bell posted on the board as event backer.

Here's the bull run and the gauntlets that sent a for-whom-the-Bell-tolls message in a bottle out from Victoria these past five days - with links to SOS coverage and the session videos of CBC broadcasts, including all McIntosh's swims:

• Day 1: 3:54.18 demolished Australian Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus' World 400m free mark in the first sub-3:55 in history.

Summer Lightning Strikes Twice: McIntosh Smokes Titmus’ 400m Free WR in 3:54.18

Faster than Tim Shaw 1974; finishing 100m as fast as Shane Gould’s 100m WR in 1972. The WR splits compared: 56.95; 1:56.42; 2:55.65; 3:54.18 McIntosh - Victoria, June 7, 2025; 56.92; 1:56.94; 2:56.90; 3:55.90 Titmus - Fukuoka, July 23, 2023

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

• Day 2: 8:05.07 in the 800m free wiped 5sec off her Commonwealth mark and, as the second woman ever inside 8:10, ended American Katie Ledecky's dominance on the 16-length clock

Commonwealth Crusher: McIntosh 8:05 WR Rattler Ends Ledecky’s 800 Dominance On Clock

“I’m always hoping to break records and push the boundaries of sport. I’m always trying to be faster and faster. That just gives me more fuel to the fire.” - Summer McIntosh

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

• Day 3: 2:05.70, lowering the World record of 2:06.12 set by Hungarians Katinka Hosszu almost 10 years ago

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

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

• Day 4: 2:02.26, a Wold textile best and Commonwealth 200m butterfly mark just 0.45 shy of the shiny suits 2:01.81 record set by China’s Liu Zige in 2009 two months before the booster kit became an officially banned performance enhancer.

Summer 2:02.2 Says ’Tell You What I Want ... Really, Really Wanna “Zige-a-Zige” The Shine Off The Shiny!

The oddity of Liu Zige’s 2:01.81 WR of shiny suited 2009 highlighted by the first gust of challenge as Summer McIntosh shadows the Chinese swimmer’s splits for a World best and Commonwealth record of 2:02.26

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

• Day 5: 4:23.65 400IM ... and there's the 200m free to come on the last day of action

That's a unique stable of records on a number of levels and takes in a match of feats not sen for many a long year, including Summer's status as the first woman since Shane Gould in 1972 to hold the World record in the 400m free and the 200m medley.

Today's epic made it nine World record for McIntosh so far. Swimming Canadas notes that McIntosh hesitated when asked what was harder, breaking her own records or shattering someone else’s.

“I think it’s more fun chasing records that you haven’t broken yet. It’s immensely easier to break you own, because you kind of have to look at it as just going your personal best time.”

Women's 400m Medley - World Record Progression since 2000

And here's the way Summer McIntosh has shuffled and shaken the all-time rankings since she first broke 4:30:

In other action:

Ekk, 18, Sets Canadian 200 Back Mark

Ethan Ekk, a native of Tallahassee, Fla., whose parents grew up in Vancouver, set a Canadian record in the 200m backstroke. His 1:56.54 took 0.20 off the old mark held by Blake Tierney, who finished second in 1:57.04. Both will race at World titles in Singapore.

“No sir, not at all,” said Ekk when asked if he was expecting to set a record. “Very unimaginable. So very happy with that.”

The 18-year-old, who claimed five medals at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships last year, won the 400m freestyle earlier in the week to earn selection to his first senior team. He claims the backstroke berth from lane 6 and said, via Swimming Canada:

“I could see Blake a little bit. I was kind of looking. It’s probably not the best thing to do but I’m still very happy with the time.”

The next wave is building. Madison Kryger, from Niagara Falls, Ontario and now training at the High Performance Centre – Ontario, is 16, and on her way to Singapore, too. She burst into tears after winning the women’s 200m backstroke in 2:09.88, merging to say, through Swimming Canada:

“We’ve done so much training this year, it’s been so hard. I’ve been waiting for a swim like that. It just means a lot to finally see my hard work paying off.”

Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm, who trains at the High Performance Centre – Vancouver, was second in 2:10.54. Both will race in Singapore.

The men’s 400 IM saw Paris Olympian Tristan Jankovics of Puslinch, Ont., battling a late charge by Calgary’s Lorne Wigginton that ended in favour of Jankovics 4:13.15 to 4:13.40. Two more tickets to Worlds.

“I knew Lorne was going to be there,” said Jankovics, 19. “On the last (leg) he was coming like a train. I’m surprised I held him off to be honest. The goal is just to make it today.” He added:

“I look over and I see everybody cheering for me. I looked up and my parents were right behind the blocks. I looked up and my mom was like waving her arms and it’s just a good feeling. This whole year has been a bit of a longer one for me coming off the Olympics and everything. I really tried to do my best, especially this summer, to just have fun with it.”

In Para action, courtesy of Swimming Canada:

Two Canadian Para swimming records fell during the day.

Nicholas Bennett of the Red Deer Catalina Swim Club teased his own SM14 world record in the 200-m individual medley.

He won the multi-class race in 2:06.36, just .39 off his record.

“With that race now, when we get a little bit more endurance under our belt, we’ll be able to challenge my world record again,” said Bennett, who won his third event of the week.

Reid Maxwell of the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club finished second in 2:30.12, .91 faster than his own SM8 Canadian record.

“Honestly it’s a little bit of a surprise,” said Maxwell. “I’m by no means an IMer, so I’m really happy with it. I was not expecting that tonight.”

In the same event, Tyson Jacob of Les Loutres swam a SM5 Canadian record time of 3:33.80.

Katie Cosgriffe ticked a box by winning the multi-class women’s 200-m medley in 2:35.57.

“I really just wanted to come and swim it the best I could and have fun with it,” said Cosgriffe, who won the 100-m butterfly on Tuesday. “I’m pretty happy with the result. I’m just hoping to improve on my performances.”

Jordan Tucker, a S4 swimmer Royal City Aquatics, won the women’s multi-class 150-m medley in 3:41.18.

“I’m very happy,” said Tucker, who set a Canadian record in the 200 freestyle earlier in the week. “I want to show people that I can do things.”

Riley Martin of Penticton’s KISU posted a personal best time of 3:17.44 to win the S4 men’s 150-m medley.