A Historic Performance in Montreal
The swimming world witnessed a monumental achievement on Sunday night as Canada’s Summer McIntosh shattered the longest-standing individual world record in women’s swimming. During the Canadian Olympic trials held in Montreal, the 18-year-old phenom clocked an impressive time of 2:01.65 in the 200-meter butterfly.
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh noted the electric atmosphere of the event. «To be honest, as soon as I dove in I felt absolutely incredible. The crowd just got my adrenaline going... I went out pretty fast and I think I just held on very well. It was done very well and it's a great way to start off trials,» she shared in comments provided to the CBC.
The End of the «Super-Suit» Era Record
The previous benchmark had stood for nearly 15 years. It was set by China’s Liu Zige, who finished the race in 2:01.81 in 2009. That record was established during a controversial period in swimming, shortly before the implementation of a ban on the high-tech, polyurethane swimsuits that had revolutionized the sport.
McIntosh had been inching closer to the historic time for some time, missing the mark by a mere 0.18 seconds at the 2025 world championships. «This is probably, in my opinion, one of the hardest world records in the books, on the women's side at least. That's always been a really big goal of mine… To now break it, it's just very surreal,» she added.
A Growing Legacy
With this latest triumph, McIntosh has solidified her position as a dominant force in international swimming. She currently holds four long-course individual world records, including:
- 200-meter individual medley
- 400-meter individual medley
- 400-meter freestyle
- 200-meter butterfly
Her record-breaking streak is a continuation of a stellar career that saw her secure three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, an achievement that included victory in the 200-meter butterfly event.