Reacting to 16-Year-Old Summer McIntosh’s 400 IM WORLD RECORD (4:25.87)

2023 CANADIAN SWIMMING TRIALS

And here I thought the world records for the week were done. After her performances in the 200 IM (2:06.89, Canadiann and World Jr Record) and the 200 fly (2:04.70, Canadian and World Jr Record), I thought Summer McIntosh was getting a little tired and that she’d go another best time tonight… but not a world record. WRONG.

McIntosh once again throttled my expectations and dropped a 4:25.87, the fastest time in the event ever. She broke the Iron Lady, Katinka Hosszu‘s legendary world record from 2016 and is now the fastest performer in history.

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Mark Twang
11 months ago

SPECIAL REQUEST for Coleman: please take the following video and apply YOUR SPECIAL MAGIC to a re-edit. Swim fans would go absolutely BONKERS! Please, please, please!

https://youtu.be/YPIA7mpm1wU

PFA
11 months ago

I think if Ledecky ever swims the 400 IM at a big level meet, she could potentially medal in it because she’s never prioritised it at a big meet and looks to have a lot of potential to still improve in the event.

Yikes
Reply to  PFA
11 months ago

Love Katie, but no way. It’s going to take sub 4:30 to medal in Paris.

crazycanuck
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
11 months ago

Not even sure about Grimes unless she improves her Breaststroke

Chris
Reply to  crazycanuck
11 months ago

What? Grimes kept right up with Summer last summer. She has an excellent chance to medal. I’ll go a step further and say that Grimes will definitely break 4:30.

There's no doubt that he's tightening up
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
11 months ago

Perhaps Kaylee McKeown?

Hard to see her prioritising the 400 IM now though given how far ahead McIntosh is.

Chris
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
11 months ago

Summer and Grimes for sure. Not sure of the third. Weyant doesnt stand a chance of medaling based on her recent swims. Weyant even has her work cut out for her at trials to make Paris.

Stephen Strange
Reply to  PFA
11 months ago

Lol no

Crawler
11 months ago

She reminds me of Shane Gould, excelling in multiple events. Whether or not she decides to makes swimming her career, it is probably too soon for her to decide. There are several ways to leave your mark in a sport, longevity is one, eclecticism is another.

Steve Nolan
11 months ago

What does Shane do with the tattoo now

Mark Twang
Reply to  Steve Nolan
11 months ago

Shane should get a 4:25.87 tattoo and use it to get a date with Summer. Similarly, Lochte recently started a “1:54 Club” for training age-groupers. What’s Ryan going to do when Marchand goes 1:53 this summer?

Last edited 11 months ago by Mark Twang
Demarrit Steenbergen
Reply to  Mark Twang
11 months ago

Very creepy but on brand for shane

Mark Twang
11 months ago

Nicely done, Coleman. If Summer breaks the 200 free WR on Sunday and you get an interview of her afterward, you’ve got my permission to bring back your MANIC TWIN and give the video that special treatment.

Pro Tip: you should iron out the wrinkles in your World Map (over your right shoulder).

Riser
11 months ago

Thanks for the breakdown Coleman. To out split the Iron Lady in three strokes is literally mind blowing.

ScottyJ
Reply to  Riser
11 months ago

I have no idea how you typed that comment after literally having your mind blown.

Riser
Reply to  ScottyJ
11 months ago

At my advanced age anything is possible. 😉

Demarrit Steenbergen
Reply to  ScottyJ
11 months ago

Muscle memory

Ross
11 months ago

Love your commentary and fun video! Summer is quite something!

Stephen Strange
11 months ago

Summer McIntosh is by far the current best female swimmer.

And she’s only 16!

On her way to GOAT (female swimmer)

Teddy
Reply to  Stephen Strange
11 months ago

Ledecky has accomplished the most.

In the end summer may be, but she still has to do a lot.

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Teddy
11 months ago

I have a feeling Rowdy will be like Clint Eastwood with that greatest ever label, forcing the world to pry it from his hands away from Ledecky

On edit: actually that quote was from Heston, not Eastwood

Last edited 11 months ago by Awsi Dooger
Emily Se-Bom Lee
Reply to  Awsi Dooger
11 months ago

maybe. decathlon champions have traditionally been given the title of “best athlete in the world”, and the 400 IM has often been described as a swimming decathlon. rowdy often combines these two trains of thought to give the 400 IM champion the title of “best swimmer in the world.”

during 2017 worlds, he described kalisz this way when he won the 400 IM. this was despite dressel being superior in every single way. last week, he called marchand the best swimmer of 2022, even though he was clearly the third best male last year.

McIntosh is the current 400 IM world champ and wr holder in the 400 IM, so we’ll have to see what prevails: Rowdy’s 400 IM pitfall… Read more »

Justin
Reply to  Teddy
11 months ago

Big age difference. Summer is becoming the GOAT because she is a multiple stroke swimmer. Summer is very well on her way to being the best.

Chris
Reply to  Justin
11 months ago

Yes, on track to becoming Phelps-like. He was only slightly younger when he exploded in the sport.

Hank
Reply to  Teddy
11 months ago

Ledecky has never won a major medal in a non freestyle event. GOAT needs to be a master of all 4 strokes. Sorry

Chris
Reply to  Hank
11 months ago

says who? You can be a distance Goat, an IM goat, a sprint goat, a 50 fly goat. You can even be a furry goat.

Bob
Reply to  Teddy
11 months ago

They both have 2 world records.Summer has accomplished this at the age of 16.Neither is good at 50 free.Summer is better at 100 free,200 free,400 free,50 back,100 back,200 back,50 breast,100 breast,200 breast,50 fly,100 fly,200 fly,200 I’m,400im..Katie is better at 800 free (although I think thats debatable and won’t last much longer) and 1500 free. an event almost nobody wants to compete in.Thats reality.

Stephen Strange
Reply to  Bob
11 months ago

It’s like comparing Thorpe to Phelps.

Neither was good in 50 free

Thorpe was better in 400-800-1500

Phelps was better in everything else

Chris
Reply to  Teddy
11 months ago

Teddy isn’t wrong, for all of you that are downvoting this.

Give Summer time. Give her the summer.

MichaelTran
Reply to  Stephen Strange
11 months ago

Don’t use the GOAT unless she becomes a multi Olympics champions

Stephen Strange
Reply to  MichaelTran
11 months ago

Read again

Bob
Reply to  MichaelTran
11 months ago

You have a big problem with the accomplishments of this 16 year old girl.Your pettiness is going to cause you a lot of grief…good luck.

Daniel
Reply to  MichaelTran
11 months ago

Not necessarily, the expression goat means greatest of all time, so a goat is someone who has several best times, you can received several Olympic titles and never had world record. So Summer is already a goat for me…

Last edited 11 months ago by Daniel
Chris
Reply to  MichaelTran
11 months ago

she already is there. She owns 2 new world records. Name one girl that will beat her in the 400 IM. Just one.

THEO
Reply to  Stephen Strange
11 months ago

“On her way” is critical. GOAT status takes time. If she is at this level for 3 Olympic cycles, than it’s real

Philip Johnson
Reply to  THEO
11 months ago

Correct, what makes Ledecky unique is her longevity.

Aqua
Reply to  Philip Johnson
11 months ago

And how did this affect lebrons legacy?

VA Steve
Reply to  THEO
11 months ago

She is the most promising all-around LCM swimmer in some time. Paris will tell us more. By then, the UVA women will have entered the chat.

Init2swimit
Reply to  VA Steve
11 months ago

The UVA women are incredible swimmers but none will reach Summer’s level of multi-event accomplishment and dominance in LC.

VA Steve
Reply to  Init2swimit
11 months ago

That’s a prediction. You might be right. Time will tell. Odd how SSers of all nationalities and interest want to call races before they happen. I just love watching the competition.

Last edited 11 months ago by VA Steve
VA Steve
Reply to  Init2swimit
11 months ago

Well Douglass has arguably exceed it in SC. Now that she is presumably concentrating on LC, let’s see what she does. Certainly the 200Im is in play.

crazycanuck
Reply to  VA Steve
11 months ago

Douglass has not raced the 200IM LC in two years she is not even sure that she will add it from what she said recently

Chris
Reply to  VA Steve
11 months ago

I love K8 but she will not be able to take down Summer M. in the 2 IM. The girl is just too good. I will be rooting for K8 if they happen to both swim it.

Chris
Reply to  Init2swimit
11 months ago

true. Though I think Kate could smoke her in a 100 fly, 200 breast, 50 free. But yea, multi events Summer owns. She may even take down that 200 free WR, shes only a second off.

Outside Smoke
Reply to  VA Steve
11 months ago

Can’t wait for the salt when Summer dusts them at worlds.

Chris
Reply to  Outside Smoke
11 months ago

Shes not dusting K8 in the 2 breast (if she swims it).

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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