It’s ‘Summer Time’ as McIntosh makes winning look easy

PARIS – Canada declared “Summer Time” in the Paris Olympic pool on July 29 as the country’s 17-year-old sensation Summer McIntosh made it look easy, while others celebrated medals won by barely a fingertip.

The world-record holder blew away her rivals to win the women’s 400m individual medley gold, adding a second medal after pipping Katie Ledecky to win silver behind Ariarne Titmus in the 400m freestyle a day earlier.

“It’s Summer Time for Canada”, declared one poolside banner at the Paris La Defense Arena.

The teenager touched the wall a full 5.69 seconds clear of American Katie Grimes, with Emma Weyant taking bronze for the United States.

McIntosh said afterwards she was buzzing after winning her first Olympic gold in style.

“I’m just trying to soak up the moment as much as possible because obviously these moments only come around every four years. So just trying to make Team Canada proud,” she said.

Her journey to the top began at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she made her mark as a 14-year-old by coming fourth in the 400m freestyle behind winner Titmus.

Now at her second Games, she feels like a veteran and said her Japan experience helped her deal with the big occasions better.

“Every single time I get to race on the world stage I learn more and more about handling it, mentally and physically and emotionally, and trying not to get too high or too low, depending on my race results,” she added.

Canada’s first gold of the meet was followed in short order by Romania and South Africa’s first, with David Popovici winning the men’s 200m freestyle and Tatjana Smith the women’s 100m breaststroke.

Red-headed rocket Mollie O’Callaghan of Australia then beat defending champion and teammate Titmus to the women’s 200m freestyle title in an Olympic record of 1min 53.27sec.

Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey took the bronze after setting a cracking early pace.

“I’m always striving for more and I always put a lot of pressure on myself. That was an amazing race. I’m always wanting that little bit more,” O’Callaghan said.

“It’s such an honour to be with everyone, and compete against Arnie (Titmus). She is an absolute gun. She races like an absolute beast.”

World-record holder Thomas Ceccon of Italy won the men’s 100m backstroke gold, with China’s Xu Jiayu earning silver and America’s 2016 gold medallist Ryan Murphy taking bronze.

Murphy probably had the biggest smile on the night, however, after his pregnant wife held up a sign after the medal ceremony to announce they are having a baby girl.

“That was the first time I heard,” the American said.

“We honestly both thought it was going to be a boy and everyone we were talking to thought it was going to be a boy. So that’s really exciting, that we’re going to have a baby and it’s going to be a girl.”

While the winners celebrated, their rivals experienced agony and ecstasy delivered by the slimmest of margins.

Ireland’s Mona McSharry shed tears of joy and amazement after an extraordinary battle for the 100m breaststroke bronze ended with her pipping not one but two other swimmers to the wall by 0.01 of a second.

While she could scarcely believe her eyes at her country’s first Paris medal, she left Italy’s Benedetta Pilato and world-record holder and 2016 champion Lilly King tied for fourth.

“This isn’t something that little me, dreaming of just going to the Olympics, really thought was possible,” she said after winning Ireland’s first swimming medal since Michelle Smith in 1996.

Britain’s Matt Richards took silver in the 200m free with a time just 0.02sec slower than Popovici – the same margin by which teammate Adam Peaty missed out on the 100m breaststroke gold.

“I’m over the moon and extremely frustrated all at the same time,” said Richards of his first individual medal after his 4x200m free relay gold in Tokyo. REUTERS, AFP