McIntosh records world’s fastest 200m free time of 2024 at Canadian Swimming Open

Summer McIntosh continued her winning ways in the pool on Wednesday night to begin the inaugural Speedo Canadian Swimming Open at the Pan Am Sports Centre.

McIntosh powered her way to a first place finish in the 200-metre freestyle in a time of 1:54.21.

It is the fastest time in the world this year and would have won gold at this past February’s world championship in Doha.

“It’s always good when I can set good times and execute my race properly. Overall I was very happy with that. I felt quite strong and in control throughout the race,” McIntosh said.

“Going into tonight I was really focused on executing my splits as well as possible and focusing on details. I don’t have crazy expectations for this meet but anytime I get to come back to Toronto to compete I’m happy.”

WATCH | McIntosh posts world’s best 200m freestyle time this year:

Summer McIntosh clocks world’s fastest time of 2024 in women’s 200m freestyle against stacked Canadian field

Summer McIntosh of Toronto won the women’s 200-metre final with a time of 1:54.21, which is the fastest time in the world this year and the second-fastest of this season, at the Canadian Swimming Open which featured four swimmers (McIntosh, Mary-Sophie Harvey, Penny Oleksiak and Tessa Cieplucha) who competed at Tokyo 2020.

McIntosh’s parents, Greg and Jill, were in the stands cheering on their daughter throughout the evening.

“It’s an amazing pool and the crowd is always awesome,” McIntosh said. “It’s always great to come back to Toronto.”

Mary-Sophie Harvey placed second in a personal best time of 1:56.76.

McIntosh holds the Canadian record in the event with a time of 1:53.65, posted at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

Wednesday night’s result is further proof for McIntosh that her training continues to pay off. It wasn’t long after the 200m free McIntosh returned to the pool to compete in the 100m backstroke final.

She was up against backstroke specialist Ingrid Wilm and 100m butterfly Olympic champion Maggie Mac Neil.

“It just shows the backstroke depth we have in Canada and it was something fun to get my meet started,” Mac Neil said.

“I haven’t raced that much as I normally do so just seeing where I am heading into trials. It’s really just a dress rehearsal.

Mac Neil stopped the clock in a time of 59.63, followed by McIntohs’s.

Mac Neil will also swim in the 100m butterfly and freestyle events as well as the 50m free during the Canadian Open.

Olympic, Paralympic trials loom

The Olympic and Paralympic trials are less than five weeks away. They were originally set to take place in Montreal but a fire at Olympic Park last month forced Swimming Canada to scramble to a new facility.

“It’s such an amazing pool and I used to train at this pool, so I know it really well,” McIntosh said.

“And having the Toronto crowd behind you is always awesome.”

McIntosh is swimming in seven different events over the course of the four-day competition. She’s using this as an opportunity to keep building on her Olympic program — specifically her individual medleys.

Penny’s competitive return

Penny Oleksiak made her first competitive appearance in Canada in nearly two years, competing in the 200m freestyle. She finished in a time of 1:59.75.

“It felt pretty good. There’s definitely a lot more work that needs to go into it but this is a learning experience. I just wanted to be under two minutes and I did it,” Oleksiak said.

Oleksiak has been training in California since last fall. Before this meet she revealed to CBC Sports she underwent knee surgery three months ago. The 23-year-old from Toronto says she’s in a great place in swimming and life and is focused on making it to her third Olympics this summer in Paris.

Earlier in the evening Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett broke his own Canadian record in the 200m S14 freestyle event, posting a time of 1:54.20.

“I was expecting to be close to my best time but not beating it,” Bennett said after the race.

“It’s been two years since I’ve posted a best time in this so I’m still processing it. That was unrested and untapered so we’ll see what we can do next month at the trials when I’m a little bit more prepped.”

WATCH | Para swimmer Bennett breaks own 200m freestyle record:

Nicholas Bennett breaks own 200m freestyle national record at Canadian Swimming Open

Nicholas Bennett of Parksville, B.C., sets a new Canadian record in the men’s S14 200-metre freestyle with a time of 1:54.20.