Summer McIntosh wins 3rd straight race, lowers Pro Swim Series record in 200m IM

Summer McIntosh scorched the pool in Knoxville, Tenn., for a third consecutive night on Saturday, leading to a third consecutive victory at the Pro Swim Series. The Canadian swimming sensation posted the fastest 200 metre individual medley time, stopping the clock in a time of two minutes 7.16 seconds.

Her time is a new Pro Swim Series record. That put a bow on yet another successful meet for the 17 year old phenom who has continually excelled and put forward consistent swimming as the Paris Olympics comes into focus. McIntosh led for much of the race but found herself in second place behind American Alex Walsh as they made the final turn and headed into the closing 50 metres.

In the final freestyle metres the Canadian was able to find an extra gear and touched the wall first ahead of Walsh. She has been called a generational talent. McIntosh is the world junior record holder in this event, having posted a 2:06.89 last March at the Canadian swimming trials. That's the fourth fastest time ever in the event.

She was only 0.27 off of that time in January, which bodes well for the Olympics. WATCH l McIntosh sets Canadian, world junior record in 200m IM at 2023 national trials: Summer McIntosh breaks Canadian record in 200 metre medley 10 months ago Duration 4:55 Toronto's Summer McIntosh broke the Canadian record in the 200 metre medley Thursday setting the new time of 2.06:89 at the Canadian Swimming Trials.

It appeared earlier in the week there would be a showdown between McIntosh and two of the top racers in the 200m individual medley. Americans Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh finished first and second, respectively, in the event at the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan this past summer. McIntosh did not race in the event.

However, Douglass elected to swim a time trial on Friday and did not race in Saturday's final. Douglass stopped the clock in an impressive 2:07.89 in that time trial. The move paid off. Douglass did compete in the 200m breaststroke final and broke the American record in a time of 2:19.30. On Friday night, McIntosh picked up a win in the 200m freestyle, leading from start to finish and stopping the clock in a time of 1:55.41 seconds.

The next closest swimmer was nearly three seconds behind. McIntosh shines again, fellow Canadian Cieplucha beats Ledecky at Pro Swim Series Summer McIntosh cruises to 200m butterfly win at opening Pro Swim Series stop The big question now is what McIntosh's program will look like at the Paris Olympics.

It would appear that the 200m fly is a lock considering she's the two time defending world champion in that event. McIntosh holds the world record in the 400m individual medley and has also won gold at worlds in the event the past two years. She has competed in the 400m freestyle event at the past two world championships, finishing second in 2022 and fourth last summer.

This is a highly anticipated race at the Paris Olympics as it will pit McIntosh against Katie Ledecky and Ariane Titmus on opening night. All three swimmers have held the world record in the distance — Titmus broke McIntosh's world record last summer at worlds. There is much speculation around whether or not McIntosh will compete in the 200m freestyle and the 200m individual medley, or if she'll sit out one of those events to make space for a busy schedule in Paris that will undoubtedly also include relays.

At the 2023 worlds, McIntosh swam the 200m freestyle and won bronze. She elected not to compete in the 200m individual medley. WATCH l McIntosh repeats as world champ in 200m butterfly: Gold for Canada's Summer McIntosh, also breaks 200m butterfly world junior record 6 months ago Duration 5:15 Summer McIntosh of Toronto captured the gold medal in the 200m Butterfly final setting a new Junior World Record with the time of 2:04.06.

Other Canadians in Knoxville There were a number of other Canadians competing at the Pro Swim Series stop in Knoxville. On Friday, Canadian Maggie Mac Neil competed in the same event she captured gold in at the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021. In her first 100m butterfly since early January, the 23 year old finished second in the race, stopping the clock in a time of 57.18 behind American Gretchen Walsh (56.78).

It's been a busy schedule for Mac Neil of late, including a record setting performance at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile in November. She won five gold medals for Canada. "I did a lot of good work this fall leading up to Pan Ams obviously, which was reflected in my performance. I've kind of been in and out of the water a bit the last couple of months with American Thanksgiving and Christmas," Mac Neil said.

"I'm definitely excited for the next few months to just focus on training and get ready for Trials." Olympic butterfly champion Maggie Mac Neil manages asthma en route to Paris ROUNDUP Maggie Mac Neil makes Pan Am Games history for Canada with 5th swimming gold in Chile Mac Neil will compete in one meet in April ahead of the Canadian Olympic trials set for mid May in Montreal.

Also on Friday evening Tessa Cieplucha, from Georgetown, Ont., placed first in the 400m individual medley. She outpaced American swimming great Ledecky in the race, stopping the clock in a time of 4:41.54. It was her fastest time in this race since the 2022 Canadian swimming trials when she posted 4:39.90.

Cieplucha also competed in the 200m individual medley, finishing sixth overall in a time of 2:16.35. Ashley McMillan, from Penticton, B.C., finished fourth in the same race in a time of 2:13.38..