Summer McIntosh Knocks Over Six Seconds Off Canadian Record In 800 Free Heats

2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
• Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• SCM (25m)
• Prize Money
• Meet Site
• Psych Sheet
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• Live Results

Teenage sensation Summer McIntosh added a third Canadian Record to her resume in decisive fashion during the second preliminary session of the 2021 Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, shattering the national mark in the women’s 800 freestyle.

McIntosh, 15, put up a time of 8:13.37 in the fourth and final prelim heat, narrowly out-touching Germany’s Isabel Gose (8:13.61) while absolutely annihilating the Canadian Record of 8:19.99 that had been on the books for over 12 years.

McIntosh broke the record previously held by Savannah King, who became the only Canadian under the 8:20 barrier in the SCM pool at the 2009 Canadian Spring Nationals.

This was McIntosh’s first time racing the 800 free in the short course pool in almost two years to the day (Dec. 15, 2019), having clocked her previous best of 8:27.25 at the 2019 Ontario Junior International meet in Toronto.

That time remains the Canadian 13-14 National Age Group Record, while the previous 15-17 NAG was also the old Canadian Record set by King in 2009.

Coming into the meet, McIntosh’s best time in the LCM pool was faster than her SCM best, having raced to a time of 8:25.04 at the Tokyo Olympic Games this past summer, placing 11th.

The Etobicoke Swimming product had a breakout Olympic performance all before her 15th birthday (which was in August), also placing fourth individually in the 400 freestyle and ninth in the 200 free.

In addition to this 800 free record, she also holds the Canadian National Record in the women’s 400 free in both LCM (4:02.42) and SCM (3:57.75).

McIntosh heads into the final of the women’s 800 free in Abu Dhabi, which will take place during Saturday’s final session, seeded second behind China’s Li Bingjie. Li is notably the swimmer that took third ahead of McIntosh in the 400 free at the Olympics.

McIntosh finished fifth in the women’s 200 free final on Thursday, hitting a best time of 1:53.65, and is also entered to swim the 800 free later in the meet.