Canada’s Summer McIntosh takes down last women’s ‘supersuit’ world record
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Summer McIntosh broke the world record in the 200m butterfly on July 5, shattering the oldest world mark in women’s swimming. She clocked 2min 1.65sec.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MONTREAL – Summer McIntosh wiped out the last “supersuit” world record in women’s swimming on July 5 with a stunning victory in the 200m butterfly at Canada’s trials for the Pan Pacific Championships.
Olympic and world champion McIntosh touched the wall in 2min 1.65sec in the final in Montreal, eclipsing Liu Zige’s long-standing record of 2:01.81 set in October 2009.
Liu’s mark was set months before polyurethane suits were banned from global competition and was considered one of the hardest records to break.
But McIntosh has been chipping away.
The 19-year-old became the second woman to break 2:02.00 at the 2025 world championships in Singapore and now owns five of the six fastest times in the event.
“As you can see, my emotions, this means the absolute world,” she said at poolside.
“Growing up, this is the one world record I thought I would never break and to do it tonight is really special in front of a home crowd.
“It means the absolute world and I’m in shock right now.”
The teen from Toronto swam the first 50m in 27.45sec, then charged at the finish as the crowd roared.
“The last 50 was pure adrenaline,” she said.
“I could hear the crowd going crazy and I knew I was probably under, or close to, world-record pace, so that’s really what kept me going.”
McIntosh, whose mother swam in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, now holds world records in four events, having claimed the 200m and 400m individual medley, and 400m freestyle at the 2025 Canadian trials.
With three Olympic gold medals at the Paris Games and eight world championships titles since 2022, McIntosh is hurtling towards greatness despite still being in her teens.
Meanwhile, the International Swimming League (ISL) will pay about 300 athletes long-overdue prize money owed from its 2021 season, commissioner Ben Allen told Reuters, as the professional swimming circuit seeks to rebuild trust and relaunch after years of inactivity.
Allen said the ISL would pay all the prize money owed, with just over US$7 million (S$9.1 million) due to over 310 athletes who were being informed in a letter from the ISL being sent out on July 5.
Among the notable swimmers set to receive payments are multiple Olympic champions McIntosh, Ryan Murphy and Sarah Sjostrom.
Payments will be made in four instalments of 25 per cent, with the first scheduled by the end of 2026 and the rest expected annually, though the league would accelerate the process if possible.
Some Russian athletes will have to wait longer to receive their funds due to technical issues regarding their bank accounts.
Said Allen: “We are paying our 2021 prize money. It’s unfortunate that it’s been a couple of years. We’ve been hit by a couple of different issues – the war in Europe, Covid. We had a lot of challenges but we’re at the point where we can do it now.” REUTERS, AFP
