(Toronto) Toronto’s Summer McIntosh is excited about a participation in the Paris Olympics that will be different from her last one about three years ago.
McIntosh won again, this time in the women’s 200-meter butterfly event at the Canadian Olympic swimming trials on Saturday.
McIntosh touched down in a time of 2:04.33 to finish under the Olympic qualifying time of 2:08.43.
It was the fourth event in which the 17-year-old swimmer finished under the Olympic qualifying time.
McIntosh was dominant in the 400-meter freestyle Monday, and she followed that victory by winning the 200-meter freestyle. She then broke her own record in the 400-meter medley on Thursday.
“It’s so exciting,” McIntosh said. At my last Games, I only competed in the freestyle events. To be able to go back to my favorite events, so plus the individual four strokes and the butterfly style, plus all the strokes, it’s really fun, also to see how to balance it all together. »
McIntosh won gold in the 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter medley at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
However, pressure or expectations from outside don’t bother her at all.
“I mean, I think I’m getting used to it at this point,” the athlete said. I don’t really think about other people’s expectations, because it’s really not relevant to what I do in training and competing, that kind of thing.
“I don’t really hear outside noise when I’m at a pool like that. All I hear is the support and the screams coming from the stands, and that’s what I try to focus on. »
Ontario’s Mabel Zavaros took second place with a time of 2:11.85.
On the men’s side, two Canadian records were set, with a pair qualifying for the Olympics.
Ontarian Josh Liendo broke his own record of 21.61 seconds, set in 2022, finishing the 50-meter freestyle event in 21.48 seconds.
This was the second event in which Liendo qualified for Paris, after the 100-meter freestyle on Thursday. The latter will also compete in the 100 meter butterfly at the Games, after winning silver at the 2023 World Championships.
Alberta’s Finlay Knox, the reigning world champion in the 200-meter individual medley, broke his own record of 1:56.64, finishing the race in 1:56.07.