The Vortex - January 2026: McIntosh Shadows Her WR Pace At A Safe Distance In A League Of Her Own
The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consider a paid subscription in support of our work. Thank you
Summer McIntosh was 4.48sec out, but it would not be inaccurate to say that she shadowed her world-record pace on the way to a dominant 4:28.13 win in the 400m medley on day 3 at the Austin round of the Pro Swim series in Texas.
The Canadian Olympic and World champion, now based at the Texas Longhorns, swam it like this, the comparative splits highlighting the parallel/proximity of pace, backstroke the only split more than a second down on the pioneering standard she set at Canadian trials last year.
- 4:28.13 (59.83, 2:08.13,3:26.88) - 59.83; 1:08.30; 1:18.75; 1:01.25 (January 2026)
- 4:23.65 (59.18, 2:05.31 3:23.33) - 59.18; 1:06.13; 1:18.02; 1:00.32 (WR, June 2025)
McIntosh faster than all but her own and Hosszu's 2016 Olympic gold pace. Olympic medallist Emma Weyant (USA, Florida Gators) was closest, on 4:40.11.
The other World swimmer of the year in 2025, Olympic and World champion - and now a Texas teammate of McIntosh's, Frenchman Léon Marchand, was a chunk further away from his own World-record pace, on 4:13.21.
About 1.2sec down on his best 'fly pace, 2sec down on backstroke, 4secs down in breaststroke, Marchand finished on 1:01.25 on freestyle, about 2.5sec outside his 2023 global pioneering pace.
- 4:13.21 (55.94; 2:00.20; 3:11.96) - freestyle, 1:01.25 - Jan 2026
- 4:02.50 (54.66; 1:56.64; 3:04.28) - freestyle, 58.74 - WR, 2023
A training test set, and one of many this day. Even so, no-one got close, Olympic 1500m champion and World record holder Bobby Finke (USA) racing to his second second place of the day, in 4:18.35.
The session got underway with Ireland's Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen (CAL) taking the 800m freestyle in 7:50.37 ahead of a 7:51.50 from Finke, the 2020ne Olympic champion and 2024 silver medalist in the event, fellow American Ryan Erisman (CAL) on 7:51.87.
Erisman was back for his own win within the hour a 1:46.66 in the 200m free keeping Texas Longhorn and America's premier 200m free man, Luke Hobson at bay, on 1:47.31, his training partner Carson Foster on 1:47.49, Gabriel Jett (CAL), 1:47.55, and Chris Guiliano (CAL), 1:47.69, all Americans piling home in a final closed by Lucas Henveaux (BEL, CAL), another who raced both the 800m (7:58.44, 4th) and 200m (1:49.13) finals.
The women's 200m final went to Claire Weinstein (UN-CA), in 1:56.62 after she raised to the helm of pace down the last length. Closest was Anna Peplowski (ISC), 1:57.01, Ryan's sister Rylee Erisman (LAKR) on 1:57.19, 50m winner at the meet, and 100m Olympic champion back in 2016, Simone Manuel (TXLA) on 1:57.58, the last length a drop from second to 4th with a split a second slower that Weinstein's.
In breaststroke dash events, the women's race went to Skyler Smith (NCAC), in 30.43, Anna Elendt, Germany's 100m World champion, based in Texas, second in 30.76; the men's fight was topped by Van Mathias (ISC) in 26.89.
The meet concludes tomorrow.
Also In The January 2026 Vortex:
- Ryan Lochte Sells 3 Olympic 4x200 Relay Golds for Almost $400,000
- The Peaty Family Feud - my chat with Jane Mulkerrins on the Times Radio Breakfast Show
- WADA Starts Year With Reminder to Athletes of the 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods
In other coverage:
Craig Lord
Craig Lord
