Summer McIntosh Set to Contest ‘Off’ Events at Atlanta Classic
In just a couple of months, Summer McIntosh will be one of the focal points of the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. The Canadian teenager has been brilliant in the water this year, highlighted by world-record performances in the 400-meter freestyle and the 400 individual medley. But at this week’s Atlanta Classic, we’ll get a look at McIntosh in some more unfamiliar events.
As she prepares for the World Champs, McIntosh will contest a handful of “off” events, although that distinction is a reach for a young athlete who excels in the 400 medley and doesn’t have a weakness. At the upcoming Atlanta Classic, which features a stacked field, McIntosh is entered in the 50 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 100 butterfly.
Of those events, the 100 fly and 200 backstroke can be considered the strongest entries for McIntosh, who trains with the Sarasota Sharks under the watch of coach Brent Arckey. McIntosh is the top seed in the 100 fly with a mark of 57.92 while she leads the fields in both backstroke events behind entries of 1:00.25 and 2:07.15. Atlanta could be the site of McIntosh cracking the minute barrier in the 100 back for the first time.