Canadian Olympic Trials: Summer McIntosh Destroys 400 IM World Record; Josh Liendo Surges in 100 Freestyle

Photo Courtesy: Swimming Canada/Daniel Harrison

Flash! Summer McIntosh Breaks 400 IM World Record at Canadian Trials

Summer McIntosh has never been shy about revving up for Trials meets, and the pool at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in particular seems to suit her. She added a third world record there on Thursday.

McIntosh swam 4:24.38 to trim just shy of a second and a half off the world record she set in 2023.

Women’s 400 individual medley

Summer McIntosh was 14.5 seconds ahead of the field in getting the win. She and Katinka Hosszu are the only swimmers to break 4:28 all-time, and McIntosh is nearer to four seconds quicker than that.

A comparison of the splits shows McIntosh’s improvement coming almost exclusively in breaststroke.

McIntosh’s splits last year:

59.47 – 1:06.92 – 1:18.92 – 1:00.56 – 4:25.87

And this year:

59.18 – 1:07.12 – 1:17.13 – 1:00.95 – 4:24.38

Ella Jensen was .35 off the A cut but booked a B cut of 4:38.88. Mabel Zavaros was third in 4:40.46.

Men’s 100 freestyle

Josh Liendo matched his best time of 47.55 to win the men’s 100 free. It’s within threat of Brent Hayden’s national record.

As impressive is the fact that Canada is sending two men to the 100 free in Paris. Yuri Kisil clinched an A cut with a time of 48.19 to finish second. Finlay Knox solidified his relay spot in 28.29, while Javier Acevedo was fourth in 48.58.

Just missing out in fifth is Eduoard Fullum-Huot. Benefitting from a scratch into the final, Ilya Kharun was much faster at night in 49.37, but that was only eighth.

Women’s 200 backstroke

It’ll be two to Paris in the 200 back, too. No prizes for guessing the first, with 100 back qualifier Kylie Masse blasting her way to the win in 2:06.24, within eight tenths of her national record.

Second was Regan Rathwell, getting her first Olympic appearance. She got under the A cut in 2:09.38 by a full second.

Madison Kryger, just 15 years old, was third in 2:12.00, while Delia Lloyd pushed from an outside lane in 2:12.87. Ingrid Wilm, who qualified in the 100 back, was seventh.

Men’s 800 Freestyle

Timothe Barbae pulled off a surprise in the 800 free, coming back from a bodylength down after 700 meters to win in 8:00.61. Barbeau is 18 years old. It’s his best time by four seconds. He got past Eric Brown, who set the pace most of the way. He was second in 8:03.04. Alex Axon, who won the 400 free, was sixth. The Olympic A cut is 7:51.65.

Multi-Class 100 Freestyle

Aurelie Rivard, the S10 swimmer, won the multi-class event in 1:00.19. It saw two Canadian records set, with Shelby Newkirk improving her S6 mark by more than eight tenths to 1:13.68. That earned her second place. Tess Routliffe was fourth in 1:12.95, trimming .98 off her S7 record.

Sebastian Massabie couldn’t match his S4 record from the morning, but he picked up the win in 1:25.07. Second was Reid Maxwell, who went 1:00.23. That clips a half-second off his S8 national mark.

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