They are calling her the next Michael Phelps - so who is Summer McIntosh, the seventeen-year-old Canadian smashing swimming records?
ICYMI: Summer is currently one of the most talked about swimmers in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics and is set to take the sporting world by storm. She burst onto the scene at age 14 (yes, you read that right), when she became the youngest ever member of the Canadian team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics - where she finished fourth in the 400m freestyle.
She then went on to become the youngest World Aquatics champion in swimming in over a decade, and was described as a “teen swimming sensation.” She won six medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. To date, McIntosh has (casually) broken over 50 age group swimming records. She swam 4:05.13 in the 400m freestyle, which was the fastest ever time recorded by a 14-year-old worldwide.
Her 2023-2024 seasons cemented her status as one of the world’s best swimmers (including wining four medals at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan), and she received the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as the Canadian Press’ choice for Canadian Female Athlete of the Year.
Summer made headlines in February this year when she defeated world swimming champion Katie Ledecky - being the first person to do so in the 800m since 2010.
Summer was the crown jewel of Canada’s Olympic swimming trials earlier this month, where she won the 400m freestyle with a world-leading time (though she later said she was “not happy” with her performance).
She has also said that her favourite show is Drive to Survive, and favourite movie is Titanic. Guilty Pleasure? "Cleaning and organising my room." What's not to love?!
With lots of buzz and anticipation ahead of the Olympics, Summer shared on her Instagram account in May: "So excited to qualify for my second Canadian Olympic team in 5 individual races and ready to roll on relays too!"
She thanked her coach, family, friends and wider support network, before wrapping up her social media post by saying, "In 10 short weeks we will be gathering as one of Canada’s strongest Olympic swim teams ever. Buckle up Paris, here comes Canadian Swimming!