Summer McIntosh sets world junior, national record in 200m individual medley at Canadian swimming trials

Just two nights after shocking the swimming world by breaking the 400-metre freestyle world record, 16-year-old Summer McIntosh took down her own 200m individual medley world junior and national record.

16-year-old sensation set world record in 400m freestyle in Toronto on Tuesday

Swimmer Summer McIntosh, wearing a yellow swim cap and black swim suit, raises her arm over her head as she celebrates setting a world record in the women's 400-metre freestyle race at the Canadian trials in Toronto.
16-year-old swimming sensation Summer McIntosh, seen above on Tuesday, posted a world record in the 200-metre individual medley at national swimming trials in Toronto on Thursday. (Scott Grant/Swimming Canada/The Canadian Press)

Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh has just broken her own world junior and national record at the Canadian swimming trials.

Just two nights after shocking the swimming world by breaking the 400-metre freestyle world record, the 16-year-old McIntosh took down her own 200m individual medley world junior record.

Her time of 2:06.89 is the fourth fastest time in the history of the event.

The teen superstar was under world record pace as she touched the wall midway through the race. She dropped off that pace after the breaststroke before closing in a blistering freestyle time of 29.63.

McIntosh was able to shave off nearly two seconds from her previous best time in less than a month.

At a swimming meet in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., earlier in March, McIntosh posted a time of 2:08.08 — she dropped that time dramatically Thursday night at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.

WATCH | McIntosh breaks own national, world junior record in 200m individual medley:

Summer McIntosh breaks Canadian record in 200 metre medley

2 years ago
Duration 4:55
Toronto's Summer McIntosh broke the Canadian record in the 200 metre medley Thursday setting the new time of 2.06:89 at the Canadian Swimming Trials.

Hungary's Katinka Hosszú still holds the world record, set in 2015, with a time of 2:06.12.

"No, not at all," said McIntosh, when asked if she thought about going after the world mark Thursday. "I've never really focused on records."

"It's nice to know that I'm getting closer to it. But as long as I just kind of keep chipping away and keep improving, technically and time wise, that's what's really important to me. I think the 200 IM is a race that I still have a lot to learn because I don't have too much race experience at the world stage."

Sydney Pickrem also met the qualifying standard, stopping the clock at 2:08.61 for a personal best and second-place finish.

WATCH | Relive Summer McIntosh breaking world record in 400m freestyle:

Live the moment poolside, when Summer McIntosh broke the 400m freestyle world record

2 years ago
Duration 2:00
Feel as though you are right next to Summer McIntosh as she breaks her first world record at 16 years old, at the Canadian national swimming trials.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Devin Heroux

CBC reporter

Devin Heroux reports for CBC News and Sports. He is now based in Toronto, after working first for the CBC in Calgary and Saskatoon.

With files from The Canadian Press

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