PARIS – Summer McIntosh left the field in her wake, leading from start to finish to win the 400-metre individual medley and collect the first Olympic gold medal of her career at the Paris Games Monday.f
The 17-year-old from Toronto won her second medal of the Olympics in 4:27.71, almost six seconds ahead of American silver medallist Katie Grimes. American Emma Weyant was third in 4:34.93.
“I was happy to get the job done tonight,” said McIntosh, who sang the words to O Canada in both official languages while the Maple Leaf was raised during the medal ceremony, then hugged her family who were among the crowd at the Paris La Défense Arena.
“It was a goal of mine to be able to stand on top of the podium and get the gold medal. So, to accomplish that, I’m very happy.”
In other races, Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivieres, Que., swam a personal best time to just miss the podium in the 200-m freestyle.
Harvey battled her way back from sixth place after 150 metres to finish in 1:55.29, just .74 behind bronze medallist Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong.
She has seen steady improvement swimming the event.
“Last year I didn’t even make the final at worlds,” said Harvey, who trains at CAMO with coach Greg Arkhurst. “Now I can say I finished fourth at the Olympics.
“My progression has been escalating quickly and it’s not done yet. I want more.”
Australia’s Mollie O’Callaghan won the race in an Olympic record time of 1:53.27 with teammate Ariarne Titmus, the world record holder, second in 1:53.81.
Kylie Masse of Lasalle, Ont., and Ingrid Wilm of Calgary’s Cascade Swim Club, both advanced to Tuesday’s final of the 100-m backstroke. Masse was fifth inthe semifinals in 58.82 seconds with Wilm sixth in 59.10.
American world record holder Regan Smith led the semifinals in 57.97 seconds.
Masse took silver in both the 100-m and 200-m backstroke at the Tokyo 2020 Games and bronze in the 100 back at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
She called McIntosh an inspiration to young Canadian swimmers.
“Just for them knowing that they can dream big and can do whatever they put their minds to,” said Masse.
Dozens of people at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre pool, where McIntosh spent time training at the High Performance Centre – Ontario, watched the race and cheered the victory.
McIntosh, who now lives in Florida and trains with the Sarasota Sharks, set the world record of 4:24.38 during Swimming Canada’s Olympic & Paralympic Trials presented by Bell in May.
She denied being nervous heading into the final.
“It’s always about having fun along with pushing my body to perform,” McIntosh said. “There’s a lot of anticipation going into a race, but I wouldn’t say necessarily nerves. I just tried to soak up every single moment.”
Coach Brent Arckey said McIntosh isn’t intimidated by performing on sport’s biggest stage.
“She’s given everything she’s got,” said Arckey. “I think the best part about this level is it’s all about racing and that’s what she loves to do.
“She’s great in this environment.”
McIntosh won her first Olympic medal, and Canada’s first podium of the Paris Games, by collecting a silver medal in the 400-m freestyle on Saturday’s opening day of competition. She is scheduled to swim two more individual events, the 200-m butterfly Thursday and the 200-m IM Saturday.
She is the first Canadian woman to win gold in the grueling 400 IM. Leslie Cliff was second at the 1972 Games while Cheryl Gibson earned silver and Becky Smith bronze at Montreal in 1976.
Alex Baumann won gold and set a world record in the men’s race at the Los Angeles 1984 Games.
Full results: https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/swimming?day=undefined
CBC/Radio-Canada is the exclusive Canadian broadcast and streaming home of the Games. In English, CBC’s comprehensive coverage of Paris 2024 will feature live broadcasts on CBC and partner networks TSN and Sportsnet, CBC Gem, CBC’s Paris 2024 website and the CBC Paris 2024 app for Android and iOS devices. ICI TÉLÉ, ICI TOU.TV and RDS will offer daily French coverage to follow the decisive moments and medals won by Canadian athletes.
The swimming competition runs through Sunday.