It was a record-breaking night for Summer McIntosh Thursday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 17-year-old from Toronto overtook defending Olympic champion Yufei Zhang of China after 150 metres then held off a late charge from American Regan Smith to become the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in the 200-metre butterfly.
Her time of 2:03.03 shaved .83 off the Olympic record Zhang set at the Tokyo 2020 Games and was the second fastest time in history. McIntosh also broke her own world junior and Canadian record.
“It means the world, especially in that event,” she said. “I always loved the 200 fly growing up. It’s such an enjoyable race. Doing it that way I’m very happy.
In other races, Kylie Masse advanced to Friday’s final of the 200-m backstroke, Finlay did the same in the 200-m individual medley and Josh Liendo in the 50-metre freestyle.
McIntosh had little time to celebrate. She returned to swim the third leg of the 4×200-m freestyle relay, helping to move Canada from seventh place to just missing the podium in fourth.
The teenager who now lives in Florida and trains with the Sarasota Sharks, became the first Canadian woman to win two individual gold medals in one Olympic Summer Games in any sport, and the first Canadian swimmer to win three individual medals at a single Olympics.
She also becomes the fourth Canadian with three individual Olympic swimming medals joining Curtis Myden, Masse and Penny Oleksiak.
“It’s pretty surreal,” said McIntosh. “I have not reflected too much on it right now.
“It’s been a pretty amazing Games for me. I’m not done yet and I will have lots of time to celebrate. Right now I’m just keeping it simple.”
Next up for McIntosh will be the 200-m individual medley Friday.
Masse, of Lasalle, Ont., said fans should appreciate what McIntosh is accomplishing.
“It’s incredible to see her on top of the podium,” said Masse. “I don’t know if people realize the significance of what she’s doing and the number of medals she’s achieved.
“She’s such an incredible athlete and one of a kind. I hope people recognize that.”
Masse advanced to Friday’s final with a time of 2:07.92, the fifth fastest in the semifinals won by American Phoebe Bacon in 2:07.32. The silver medallist in the 200 back at the Tokyo 2020 Games, finished fourth in Tuesday’s 100-m backstroke.
“Every competition brings its own challenges,” she said. “I’ve been here before, trained for this. Ultimately, I’m just trying to enjoy the moment here.
“I feel like I’m at the point of my career where I know I should be in the final. I have to do enough to get here. This is where it counts and where I have to be my fastest.”
Knox, of Okotoks, Alta., who trains at the High Performance Centre – Vancouver, used a time of 1:57.76 to earn the final qualifying spot for the 200-m individual medley final. France’s Leon Marchand had the fastest qualifying time of 1:56.31.
The Canadian record holder won the 200 IM at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha.
Liendo, who trains at the University of Florida in Gainesville, looked like he would just miss qualifying for the 50-m freestyle final. His time of 21.69 seconds in the semifinals was just .05 behind eighth-place qualifier Florent Manaudou of France. He later was given a spot in the final due to a scratch by one of the qualifiers.
Britian’s Benjamin Proud and Cameron McEvoy of Australia tied for first in 21.38.
In the relay final, the team of Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivieres, Que., Ella Jansen of Burlington, Ont., McIntosh and Julie Brousseau of Ottawa finished in 7:46.05.
Australia won the race in an Olympic record 7:38.08, followed by the U.S. in 7:40.86 and China in 7:42.34.
“I’m super proud of us,” said Jansen, an 18-year-old competing in her first Olympics. “It was the loudest crowd I have ever heard. That was kind of scary.”
The team of Emma O’Croinin of Edmonton, Jansen, Brousseau and Harvey had the sixth best qualifying time in the morning preliminaries.
McIntosh’s first gold medal of the Games came in a dominating win in the 400-m individual medley. She earned Canada’s first medal of the Olympics with a silver in the 400-m freestyle on Saturday’s opening night of competition.
Canada’s other swimming medal is Ilya Kharun’s bronze in the men’s 200 fly.
The 19-year-old who was born in Montreal and grew up in Las Vegas became the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in the 200 fly, plus the first Canadian man to stand on the Olympic podium in 12 years.
For 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 ends Sunday.