Did Canadian teen Summer McIntosh just break the 200m individual medley world record?

Synopsis
In an extraordinary display of talent, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh has not only broken the world record for the 200m individual medley but has also established herself as a leading figure in swimming. With her remarkable achievements at the Canadian trials, she continues to inspire the next generation of athletes.
Key Takeaways
- Summer McIntosh sets a new world record in the 200m individual medley.
- She achieved a time of 2:05.70, breaking Katinka Hosszu's decade-old record.
- McIntosh also holds a new world record in the 400m freestyle.
- She is considered one of the top swimmers globally at just 18 years old.
- Her performance inspires young athletes everywhere.
Victoria, June 10 (NationPress) The remarkable swimmer Summer McIntosh, who is a triple Olympic champion, has officially broken the world record for the 200m individual medley, surpassing the previous record set by Hungarian icon Katinka Hosszu nearly a decade ago.
McIntosh, who clinched three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, achieved a time of 2 minutes, 5.70 seconds during the Canadian trials for the World Championships scheduled in Singapore this July and August.
She recorded a split of 57.99 seconds for the opening 100 meters, placing her .95 seconds ahead of the world record pace at the halfway point. However, she slightly lagged during the breaststroke phase, trailing Hosszu's record by .14 seconds heading into the final 50 meters. Nevertheless, she surged ahead with a remarkable 29.95 seconds finish, decisively breaking the previous record.
"It's incredible! The 200m IM is definitely my strongest event among my top five or six races where I need to execute flawlessly," McIntosh expressed.
This marks McIntosh's second world record broken in just three days of the meet. On Saturday, she shattered the 400m freestyle world record with a time of 3:54.18, and on Sunday, she swam the third-fastest 800m freestyle in history, trailing only behind Katie Ledecky's two top performances.
The 18-year-old Canadian previously held the title as the third-fastest 200m IM swimmer in history, thanks to her 2:06.56 time that earned her Olympic gold in Paris. With her latest achievement, she has now surpassed American Ariana Kukors, who swam 2:06.15 at the 2009 World Championships, as well as Hosszu.
"Breaststroke has always been my weak point, so getting through that 50 meters was crucial. I knew I would be strong in the last 50 because my freestyle has been exceptional here," McIntosh noted.
"Overall, I’m thrilled with that time. I'm always striving to push forward, but I’ll review my splits to analyze my breaststroke performance. I'm happy with the outcome," added McIntosh, who is set to compete in the 200m butterfly on Tuesday.
She had an outstanding performance at the Paris Games, winning gold in the 200m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 400m medley events.