McIntosh bags her third gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships, narrowly missing the world record in the 200m butterfly event.
Canadian Swimming Sensation Summer McIntosh Falls Short of 200m Butterfly World Record at World Aquatics Championships
Summer McIntosh, the Canadian swimming sensation, came agonizingly close to breaking the world record in the women's 200m butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. McIntosh's time of 2:01.99 was less than 0.2 seconds away from the standing world record of 2:01.81, set by China’s Liu Zige in 2009 during the "super suit era."
Despite the narrow miss, McIntosh's time is the second fastest ever in the event and the fastest ever by a swimmer wearing a textile suit. This achievement also sets a championship and Americas record, as well as lowering her Canadian record from 2:02.26.
McIntosh's victory in the 200m butterfly marks her third consecutive world title in the event, having won in 2022 and 2023. This triumph also marks her third gold medal at this championship, moving her closer to matching Michael Phelps's record of five individual golds at a single world championship.
The 17-year-old swimmer expressed disappointment at not breaking the world record but was pleased with her personal best time and the gold medal win. McIntosh felt strong throughout the entire race and was confident in her performance.
In the 200m butterfly, French star Léon Marchand won gold but failed to improve on the world record he had set in the semifinals a day earlier. American Regan Smith finished second with a time of 2:04.99, while Australian Elizabeth Dekkers completed the podium with a time of 2:06.12. China's Yu Zidi, aged 12, just missed out on a medal, finishing in 2:06.43.
McIntosh shot to stardom at last year's Paris Olympics, winning three gold medals and a silver. Her medal tally at the World Aquatics Championships now stands at 17 gold medals and 29 medals in total. McIntosh stated that her aim for the remaining races, specifically the 800m freestyle and the 400m individual medley, is to continue breaking records and adding to her impressive medal count.
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Summer McIntosh's performance in the 200m butterfly at the World Aquatics Championships showcases her exceptional skills in sport, as she claimed the gold medal and set the championship record, albeit falling short of breaking the world record. The sports world continues to watch as McIntosh aims to add more records and medals in her upcoming races.
