VICTORIA – It was another dominating performance by Summer McIntosh at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials Monday night.
The 18-year-old from Toronto became the fastest woman ever in the 200-metre individual medley, breaking a legendary mark that had stood for nearly 10 years.
With a sold out crowd at Saanich Commonwealth Place cheering her on McIntosh finished in 2:05.70, breaking the last world record held by Hungary’s “Iron Lady” Katinka Hosszu (2:06.12).
“It’s been one of those records that’s always been in the back of my mind since trials two years ago,” said McIntosh, the Olympic champion in the event.
“I’ve been knocking on the door on this one. I’ve just tried to chip away, chip away at it. To finally do it, it’s kind of like ‘Wow, I’ve finally got that done.’ ”
It was McIntosh’s second world record in three days after winning the 400-m freestyle in 3:54.18 Saturday.
She came close again Sunday, setting a Canadian record in the 800-m freestyle. Her time of 8:05.07 shaved almost five seconds off her own Canadian record and was the third fastest time ever, 0.95 of a second off the world record American great Katie Ledecky set in May.
“I’m really trying to take it one race at a time,” she said. “Really kind of cruising the heats and then coming to every final super locked in and focused.”
Including the 400 IM, McIntosh holds three long-course world records, plus the 400 free, 200 butterfly and 400 IM in the short course pool.
Mary-Sophie Harvey of Trois-Rivières, Que., swam a personal best time of 2:08.78 to finish second. The two-time Olympian from Montreal’s CAMO club was under the AQUA A standard for selection for the third straight night, after winning the 100-m butterfly and 200-breaststroke.
It also was a good night for Canada’s Para swimmers, who set four Canadian records.
Sebastian Massabie of the Pacific Sea Wolves broke the S5 Canadian record for the second time in a day to win the multi-class 50-m butterfly. The Paralympic champion in 50-m freestyle S4 swam 36.59 in the morning preliminaries then lowered it to 35.84 in the final.
“I’m really happy with that race,” said Massabie. “I was really focusing on making sure that I made that time. It was a really great moment.”
Reid Maxwell, an S8 Para swimmer from the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club, won the 100-m freestyle in a Canadian record time of 59.59 seconds.
“I’ve been trying to get under that minute mark for longer than I’d like to admit,” said the 17-year-old, who won the 400 freestyle Sunday – his silver medal event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. “I just went with the mindset I go under a minute.”
Danielle Dorris of Moncton, N.B., won the multi-class 50-m butterfly in 34.25 seconds. The S7 world record holder, who trains with the Club de Natation Bleu et Or, has won the event at the last two Paralympics.
“It’s wasn’t the best I could do,” said Dorris, who holds the world record of 32.99 seconds. “I think I got in my head a little bit, but I’m happy with it overall.”
During the same swim Jordan Tucker of Royal City Aquatics set a Canadian record of 53.00 in the S4 category. Tucker also set a Canadian record in the 200-m freestyle Sunday.
Aurelie Rivard, an S10 swimmer who has won 13 medals at four Paralympic Games, won the multi-class women’s 100-m freestyle in 1:02.06. The 29-year-old from St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que., has withdrawn from selection to this year’s World Para Swimming Championships to focus on completing her law degree at Université Laval.
Penny Oleksiak was one of four swimmers to make their first selection standard for Team Canada at this summer’s World Aquatics Championships. The seven-time Olympic medallist swam a personal best time of 24.89 seconds to win the 50-m freestyle. Her time was under the Swimming Canada secondary standard of 25.11.
“I can see faster,” said the Toronto native who will be competing in her fourth world long course championships. “It’s what I’ve been working on this year. I’m finally kind of getting there.
“I’m hoping we can make some leaps over the next month.”
Alexanne Lepage of the University of Calgary Swim Club used a strong second leg to win the women’s 100-m breaststroke in 1:06.87, tying the AQUA A standard. After sitting third at the she turn she out-touched Paris Olympian Sophie Angus and Shona Branton to earn a spot on her first senior national long-course team.
“I’ve raced them now for the past couple of years and it’s always a tight race,” said the Vernon, B.C., native. “We push each other and it’s fun racing them.
“I was just really happy I was able to match that time and get my hand on the wall,”
After not making the Olympic team last year Lepage was happy with the chance to compete at the world championships.
“I just wasn’t quite able to put together the race I would have liked,” at the Olympic trials, she said. “To be able to earn my spot on a team like this at trials, it means a lot.”
Reigning world champion Finlay Knox took the men’s 200-m individual medley in 1:57.25. It’s been a challenging year for the two-time Olympian from Okotoks, Alta., who has been dealing with back issues.
“I always try to tell myself it’s 90 percent mental, 10 per cent physical. But as many meets as you go to and under as many pressure situations you’ve been in, the devil on your shoulder always seems to creep in. That was something I really had to deal with today,” Knox said. “I think if a day like today, and how I was feeling about it, happened three or four years ago I definitely wouldn’t have handled it as well.”
Knox was also top seed in the 100 breaststroke after a heat swim of 1:00.68, but scratched to focus on the 200 IM.
“For me it was more about just getting on the team, executing a solid race, and we’ve got six weeks to fine tune things.”
Tristan Jankovics of Puslinch, Ont., was second in 1:58.01 to make the AQUA A standard for selection.
In other action, Josh Liendo of Toronto powered his way to winning the men’s 50-m freestyle in 21.88 seconds.
“Over the years I’ve gotten more comfortable with this event,” said Liendo, who was fourth in the 50 free at the Paris Olympics, just .02 off the podium. “I’ve learned some new things. I’m just more comfortable in this event and know I can compete with the best in the world.”
Oliver Dawson of the Grande Prairie Piranhas won the men’s 100-m breaststroke in 1:00.73. The 17-year-old earned his first senior long course team selection by winning the 200 on Saturday.
The six-day trials, which run through Thursday, have attracted more than 700 swimmers to Saanich Commonwealth Place in Victoria. Athletes are competing for selection to teams competing at four major international competitions: the World Aquatics Championships July 26 – Aug. 3 in Singapore, the 2025 FISU Games (Summer Universiade) July 17 – 23 in Berlin, the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships Aug. 19 – 24 in Otopeni, Romania, and the World Para Swimming Championships Sept. 21–27 in Singapore.
CBC Gem and https://www.cbc.ca/player/sports/live will stream each session beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT for heats and 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT for finals. Every session will also be live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CBCSports/streams
For full results go to https://results.swimming.ca/2025_Canadian_Swimming_Trials/.