2024 SOUTHERN ZONE SOUTH SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Thursday, February 8 – Sunday, February 11, 2024
- Orlando, Florida
- Rosen Aquatic & Fitness Center
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Full results under “Southern Zone South Sectional Championships” on MeetMobile
Last night in Orlando, Summer McIntosh swam an 8:11.39 800 free, not only making her the #2 performer of all-time with the #17 performance of all-time, but she broke Katie Ledecky‘s 13+-year-old win streak in the event as well. Ledecky swam next to McIntosh, clocking an 8:17.12 for 2nd.
So this begs the question: Should Summer McIntosh consider swimming the 800 free at the Paris Olympics this summer?
Summer now has 6 events that she could potentially vie for gold in: 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 fly, 200 free, 400 free, and now 800 free. But let’s look at the schedule for all of these.
400 free is Day 1. Easy enough.
200 free is Day 2/3, with the final on Day 3. Same as the 400 IM (Day 3 final), so she will probably pick one or the other and I’m going to guess she will pick 400 IM.
After Day 4 off, 200 fly is Day 5/6.
Then the 800 free is on Day 7/8 of the meet, the same as the 200 IM. So she’d have to pick one or the other there as well. I’m going to guess she picks 200 IM for a few reasons.
- Taking down Ledecky on an Olympic stage is very different than taking her down at a local meet in Ocala in February. Even though her in-season performances haven’t been as consistently great as they usually are, I think Ledecky will taper big and have big swims in the 800 and 1500 in Paris.
- Summer doesn’t really train for the 800. She’s just really good at swimming. It’s a lot riskier to go for an event that you’ve raced once or twice a year for fun at an Olympic Games, especially when the person you have to get through is the greatest swimmer in the event ever. Plus it’s at the end of the meet, and swimming an 800 free final on Day 8 is a lot different than swimming it fresh at sectionals.
- I think Canada will want to use her on the medley relay on Day 9 where they have a great shot to medal. I don’t think the 800 is conducive to getting that medal.
So, I think Summer goes with 400 Free/400 IM/200 Fly/200 IM in Paris. What do you think?
Summer Mcintosh is going to be the next Michael Phelps. Yes she is. She has potential in every event. I bet she will eight gold medals at the 2028 Olympics if not this one! Watch out Penny Oleksiak we may have a new Canada’s most decorated Olympian!
Summer will smoke titmus in Paris
It would be tempting for Summer to give it a go for Paris but my theory is post Olympics the 800 free will be back on her agenda and i wouldn’t bet against her winning it in LA 2028
No, because I want Ledecky to win.
Is Summer planning to swim in the NCAA beyond Paris? Or has she turned pro already?
She’s Canadian, and she’s always been a pro.
Selfishly, I would like McIntosh to swim the 200IM because it is going to be such an awesome field in Paris.
I’m the opposite, the 200 IM will be a good race with or without Summer but I’d love to see a good race in the 800 free too
That’s a really good point…I need to rethink. Either way, it’s going to be really fun to watch.
Poor gal. She swims the absolute hardest and worst events.
This reminds me when Regan was shocked over her silver in the 200 fly in Tokyo, yet didn’t even qualify in her main event we would have guessed two years earlier. There’s something about a low pressure event that is so special. I say go for it and see what happens 🙂