McIntosh breaks world record in women's 400m IM at Canadian ...

Gregory Strong · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 16, 2024 6:19 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Click on the video player above beginning at 9:27 a.m. ET to watch live action from the Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Trials.

The improbable has become somewhat routine for Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh.

She delivered yet another stellar performance at the Olympic & Paralympic Trials on Thursday night by trimming over a second off her world-record time in the 400-metre individual medley.

"It sounds crazy but I think every time she dives in the pool we're expecting something spectacular because that's just the type of athlete she is," said teammate Kylie Masse.

McIntosh led by a full second at the 50-metre mark and was at world-record pace midway through the race. She seemed to get stronger over the final 100 metres and finished in four minutes 24.38 seconds.

WATCH | McIntosh breaks another world record and expectations for Day 5 at swim trials:

CBC Sports' Devin Heroux and Brittany MacLean recap Day 4 of the Canadian swim trials and outline what to look forward to on Day 5.

"I was really just focusing on having fun with the race and taking it 100 at a time because it's a pretty mentally challenging race," McIntosh said. "Overall I'm really happy. I've always had fun with it and I definitely did [tonight]."

Her previous world mark of 4:25.87 was also set at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in April 2023.

It was McIntosh's third win of the Trials. She kicked off the event on Monday with a dominant showing in the 400 free, leaving the field well behind.

McIntosh has been so far out in front in both prelims and finals this week that the only drama is between her and the clock. On this night, she conquered it.

WATCH | McIntosh breaks her own world record in 400m IM at Canadian trials:

Toronto's Summer McIntosh broke her own world record in the women's 400-metre individual medley, with a new best time of 4:24.38 at the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Trials in Toronto.

The partisan crowd let out a roar when the hometown favourite was introduced and the noise only got louder through the race.

"It really keeps me going," McIntosh said. "If they weren't there I don't think I would have had the 4:25 world record in the first place, let alone this one tonight."

McIntosh is the two-time defending world champion in the 400 IM. She'll appear in her second Olympics this summer in Paris.

She broke out as a 14-year-old at the Olympic Trials in 2021 and just missed the podium at the Tokyo Games that summer.

"I hope people can just recognize and appreciate what they're seeing and appreciate her as an athlete and a person as well," Masse said. "She's incredibly kind and she works really hard.

WATCH | 'A little bit surreal right now' — McIntosh reacts to record 400m IM:

McIntosh swam to a time of 4:24.38 at the 2024 Canadian Olympic & Paralympic trials.

The 400 IM includes butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. McIntosh said she has been making strides with the breaststroke - her weakest stroke "by far," she added - and the hard work is paying off.

"I really had a lot of confidence in my training because my breaststroke has been feeling good lately," she said. "So it's always good to see those little improvements coming to fruition."

WATCH | Liendo to headline talented men's freestyle relay team:

Toronto's Josh Liendo won the men's 100-metre freestyle with a time of 47.55 seconds to qualify a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics, along with with Calgary's Yuri Kisil (48.19). Finlay Knox (48.29) of Okotoks, Alta, and Toronto's Javier Acevedo (48.58) are likely to join them on Canada's men's 100m freestyle relay team in Paris, based on their qualifying times.

Ella Jansen of Burlington, Ont., was over 14 seconds behind in second place in 4:38.88. She was three-10ths of a second off the Olympic qualifying time.

In other results, Toronto's Josh Liendo (47.55) and Calgary's Yuri Kisil (48.19) finished 1-2 in the men's 100 freestyle to secure spots in that discipline at the Games.

Masse, from LaSalle, Ont., won the women's 200 backstroke in 2:06.24. Regan Rathwell (2:09.38) of Ashton, Ont., was also inside the Olympic qualifying time to lock up her spot for Paris.

Timothe Barbeau of Montreal won the men's 800 freestyle in 8:00.61 but did not qualify.

WATCH | Masse, Rathwell qualify inside Olympic time in 200m backstroke:

Kylie Masse (2:06.24) of LaSalle, Ont., and Regan Rathwell (2:09.38) of Ashton, Ont., both qualified spots for the Paris 2024 Olympics in the women's 200-metre backstroke, at the 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Trials in Toronto. Routliffe, Newkirk improve records

Two Canadian Para swimmers improved their national records in the women's 100 freestyle. Tess Routliffe of Caledon, Ont., won the S7 class with a time of 1:12.95 and Shelby Newkirk of Saskatoon finished in 1:13.68 in the S6 class.

Reid Maxwell of St. Albert, Alta., improved his S8 men's 100 freestyle national mark with a time of 1:00.23.

Competition continues through Sunday.

WATCH | Replay of Day 4 action at Canadian Olympic & Paralympic swimming trials:

Watch the fourth night of swimming finals from the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Swimming Trials in Toronto.