To hear her tell her story, star swimmer Summer McIntosh is like all the other teenage girls trying to make the most of a summer that seems too short for her.
“I just want to have fun with my friends, go to the movies or go shopping,” she said in a video call from Tokyo. If I’m not in school, I may spend too much time on TikTok or I’ll take a nap. I have a pretty mundane life outside of the pool. »
It’s quite the opposite when McIntosh dives into the water. The spotlight will be on the Torontonian at the World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The Canadian team will count on one of its best groups, also including Maggie Mac Neil, Kylie Masse and Joshua Liendo.
Swimming competitions will begin on July 23. The Worlds serve as a dress rehearsal for the Paris Olympics next summer.
Penny Oleksiak, the most decorated Canadian at the Olympics, will not participate in the Worlds. She is recovering from shoulder and knee injuries.
“The whole team is excited to see what the future holds,” McIntosh said. I’m really excited to be here with the whole team. It should be really fun. »
It will be difficult for McIntosh to repeat his accomplishments at the Canadian Championships this spring. She then broke two world records and five junior world records at the Pan American Sports Center in Toronto.
In the 400-metre freestyle, McIntosh clocked 3 minutes 56.08 seconds, beating Australian Ariarne Titmus’ previous mark by 0.32 seconds.
American Katie Ledecky, another former world record holder in this event, will be present in Tokyo. The 400m freestyle final will take place on the first day of competition.
“I think Katie, Summer and I are about on the same level,” Titmus told Australian media last month. But I think Katie and I have more experience under pressure than Summer. Summer has yet to have that experience on the international stage. It will be interesting to see how she reacts. »
McIntosh sticks to the classic answers when asked about her possible confrontation with Ledecky and Titmus.
“I think there’s a certain respect, not just between the three of us, but all the swimmers at Worlds,” she said. We all know what it takes to become one of the best in the world. »
McIntosh is the first female swimmer in history to hold the long course world records in the 400-meter freestyle and 400-meter medley. She therefore deserves to hear her name in conversations about the best in the world, just two years after her debut at the Tokyo Olympics despite the restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Then 14, McIntosh finished fourth in the 400-metre freestyle final.
“During the flights to here, I definitely had thoughts of the Tokyo Games in 2021,” she admitted. I hope to be able to visit the country a little more this time. For obvious reasons, that hadn’t been possible last time. »
McIntosh’s Worlds schedule will be packed. She is entered in the 400m freestyle, 400m medley, 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly. She should also participate in the relay events.
