2026 Canadian Swimming Trials
- July 5-9, 2026
- Montreal, Canada — Montreal Olympic Pool
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Just over 40 hours after breaking the oldest female world record on the books, Summer McIntosh is dropping out of the rest of the Canadian Swimming Trials due to illness.
The 19-year-old posted a statement on her Instagram Story on Tuesday, announcing her withdrawal from the remainder of the meet after beginning to feel ill on Monday morning.
McIntosh’s Statement
I’m so sorry, but on the advice of my doctors and coach, I’ve made the difficult decision to scratch from my remaining events at the 2026 Canadian Trials.
I started feeling ill yesterday morning, and while I hoped I’d be able to keep racing, this is the right decision.
There is so much magic in this pool, and I’m incredibly grateful I got to experience it. I’m so disappointed that I can’t continue racing in front of these amazing crowds, but my focus now is on getting healthy so I can be ready to represent Canada at the Pan Pacific Championships.
Thank you for all the love and support this week. I’m so sorry our time together was cut short, and thank you for cheering me and all of the athletes on. Best of luck to everyone for the rest of the competition.
– Summer
McIntosh opened the competition with a bang on Sunday, putting up a time of 2:01.65 in the final of the women’s 200 fly to lower Liu Zige‘s vaunted super-suited world record of 2:01.81 set in 2009. The record had stood as the oldest female record on the books and was one McIntosh had expressed desire to break, especially last year, when she came agonizingly close at the Canadian Trials (2:02.26) and then at the World Championships (2:01.99).
McIntosh followed up by winning the 400 IM last night in a time of 4:27.35, the eighth-fastest swim of her career and the ninth-fastest performance of all-time, though she said post-race she wasn’t happy with the performance.
On Tuesday morning, she was the top qualifier into the final of the women’s 400 free in 4:11.45 before scratching out. Her withdrawal bumps Juliet Nicholson up in tonight’s ‘A’ final.
This past October, McIntosh was forced to withdraw from all three stops of the 2025 World Cup circuit due to illness.
Having already punched her ticket to the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine by winning the 200 fly and 400 IM, McIntosh’s scratch won’t have any implications on what her event lineup might end up being this summer. At Pan Pacs, countries can enter as many swimmers as they want in an event (provided they have the necessary time standard), but only two per nation can advance to the final.
Last August, McIntosh announced she would not be competing at this summer’s Commonwealth Games, which run just a few weeks before Pan Pacs in Glasgow.
soft
If there was a year this had to happen at a trials meet, this is it. Wishing summer a speedy recovery
Summer just continue to have fun and get better quickly if possible. And do what you do best have fun and stay in the moment
So she swam a 4:27 while being sick? Only she could do something like that. Nobody in the world in its most healthy state could go that time
What’s more impressive is how she broke the world record with the infection already in her system.
maybe it was making her stronger at that stage you dunno for sure
It might be an illness, but it sounds like something Bob would do.
ah ole wuhan bob infecting his swimmers on their way to international events
Mission accomplished at the meet. Now to prepare for the next one
Sensible rules for Pan Pacs
don’t go get another spinal tap
Oh, so this is the one instance that you choose not to post the “SOFT” meme?
dammit I hate when people remember my bits better than me
when you’re right you’re right! that’s on me!