Summer McIntosh Targets Five Golds at World Championships/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh will compete in five individual events at the 2025 World Swimming Championships in Singapore. She hopes to build on her triple-gold performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics in what’s seen as preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. McIntosh will also race in multiple relays, possibly swimming up to 15 events in eight days.
Summer McIntosh’s Gold Quest Quick Looks
- McIntosh aims for five individual titles in Singapore
- Coming off three Olympic golds in Paris 2024
- Will swim up to 15 races in 8 days, including relays
- Set three world records in five days at Canadian trials in June
- Races include 400 free, 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 fly, and 800 free
- Faces stiff competition from Katie Ledecky in 800 freestyle
- Opening day includes back-to-back 400 free final and 200 IM semi
- 18-year-old seen as Canada’s most versatile swimming star
- Training now focused more on endurance and distance
- Set to begin NCAA career under Bob Bowman at Texas this fall
Deep Look: McIntosh Goes for Five Golds in Singapore as LA 2028 Looms
SINGAPORE — After seizing global attention with three Olympic gold medals at the 2024 Paris Games, 18-year-old Summer McIntosh isn’t slowing down. The Canadian swim sensation is preparing for a demanding campaign at the 2025 World Swimming Championships in Singapore, where she’ll attempt to win five individual gold medals — a preview of her ambitions for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
McIntosh will be the busiest swimmer in the meet, entering five individual events and multiple relays. According to Team Canada head coach Iain McDonald, her schedule could total 14 to 15 races over eight days, a grueling test of endurance, technique, and mental fortitude.
“It’s a very challenging schedule she’s set for herself,” said McDonald. “But that’s who Summer is — she embraces the pressure.”
Building on Olympic Glory
At the Paris Olympics, McIntosh shared the spotlight with France’s Léon Marchand, earning widespread acclaim as one of the most complete swimmers in the sport. Still, she seems unsatisfied with her accomplishments and is hungry for more.
This summer, she’s focused on winning world titles in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 400 IM, and 200 butterfly — a staggering range that showcases her unmatched versatility.
“She’s such a versatile athlete, it’s kind of tough to nail what her best events are,” McDonald said. “She’s pretty good right across the spectrum.”
Record-Breaking Trials
In June, McIntosh made waves at the Canadian national trials, where she shattered three world records in five days:
- 400m individual medley: 4:23.65 (breaking her own record)
- 200m individual medley: 2:05.70
- 400m freestyle: 3:54.18
She narrowly missed two other marks: finishing just half a second off the 200 butterfly world record and just behind the 800 freestyle record set by Katie Ledecky.
Opening Day Spotlight
McIntosh will grab headlines immediately. On Day 1, she’ll race in the 400 freestyle final, followed only 30 minutes later by the 200 IM semifinal. Though she holds the world record in the 400 free, she has never claimed gold in that event at a global meet — something she’s determined to change.
“I’m super pumped for the 400 freestyle,” McIntosh said in an interview with CBC. “This time, I have more confidence in my training, especially with my endurance.”
She credited coach Fred Vergnoux with pushing her toward distance events and refining her technique. The 400 free gold, she said, has always felt just out of reach — until now.
Fierce Rivalry With Ledecky
McIntosh’s biggest test may come in the 800 freestyle, where she’ll face Katie Ledecky, who set the world record earlier this year at 8:04.12. McIntosh is just behind at 8:05.07, setting the stage for a potential championship-defining showdown.
“Ledecky is the gold standard,” said U.S. team director Greg Meehan, “and there are always new threats coming at you. That’s the nature of elite competition.”
In other events, including the 200 and 400 IMs, McIntosh is considered a favorite. She also stands a strong chance in the 200 butterfly, an event she’s close to dominating.
While Ledecky remains untouchable in the 1,500 freestyle — where she holds 23 of the top 25 times ever — McIntosh is not entered in that event in Singapore.
Rising Star Yu Zidi Enters the Scene
While McIntosh prepares to defend her legacy, eyes are also on Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old Chinese prodigy who’s qualified in the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 fly — all events where she could face McIntosh directly.
Yu’s times are already historic. At China’s national championships in May, she posted a 2:10.63 in the 200 IM — the fastest ever by a 12-year-old of any gender — and 4:35.53 in the 400 IM, fast enough for fourth at the Tokyo Olympics.
Astoundingly, Yu is 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was at age 12, raising eyebrows across the swimming world.
“There is always somebody coming up next,” said McDonald. “That’s what keeps this sport moving forward.”
Road to LA 2028
McIntosh’s performances in Singapore are not just about world titles — they’re part of a long-term vision toward Los Angeles 2028, where she could become one of the defining athletes of the Games. This fall, she’ll begin training under Bob Bowman — best known for coaching Michael Phelps — at the University of Texas at Austin.
“She always manages to surprise you, upping her game a little bit,” said McDonald. “And she’s only getting better.”
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