Summer time McIntosh Dominating 400 IM At Spectacular Degree
An athlete’s dominance of an occasion could be measured in a number of methods. The variety of consecutive international titles in a particular self-discipline. The hole between a world-record efficiency and the No. 2 performer in historical past. How most of the all-time high marks a person owns in a single occasion.
The facility of the USA’ Katie Ledecky and Nice Britain’s Adam Peaty has lengthy been identified, with Ledecky ruling the distance-freestyle realm and Peaty dominating the sprint-breaststroke occasions. Traditionally, they’ve compiled gorgeous statistics that illuminate their supremacy.
As a pattern, Ledecky boasts the 12-fastest occasions within the historical past of the 1500-meter freestyle, and holds 26 of the 27-fastest performances of all-time. As for Peaty, he owns the 14-fastest efforts within the 100 breaststroke and 16 of the 18-quickest swims. The respective gaps over the No. 2 performer of their occasions is huge, Ledecky at 1.22% and Peaty at 1.41%.
Over the weekend, whereas racing on the Austin cease of the USA Swimming Professional Collection, Canadian star Summer time McIntosh took one other step towards becoming a member of the extent of single-event authority loved by Ledecky and Peaty. En path to overwhelming the sector within the 400 particular person medley by practically 12 seconds, the 19-year-old McIntosh clocked 4:28.13, good for the ninth-fastest efficiency the occasion has seen.
There isn’t a argument regarding McIntosh’s standing because the premier feminine swimmer on the planet. Apart from proudly owning the world report within the 400 freestyle, 200 particular person medley and 400 IM, McIntosh – now coaching below coach Bob Bowman on the College of Texas – sits No. 2 all-time within the 200 butterfly and 800 freestyle. However what she has carried out within the 400 medley is tough to grasp.
Contemplate:
McIntosh is the reigning Olympic champion within the occasion, having prevailed by 5.69 seconds on the largest stage within the sport. She additionally owns three world titles, the final captured by greater than seven seconds final summer season in Singapore.
The Canadian’s world report of 4:23.65, set final June, is almost three seconds quicker than anybody else has coated the occasion. The second-ranked athlete is Hungarian Katinka Hosszu, whose better of 4:26.36 is 1.02% again of McIntosh.
Solely six ladies have cracked the 4:30 barrier within the 400 IM. McIntosh has breached the edge by six-plus seconds and has made 11 journeys inside that cutline. Along with holding the four-fastest swims ever, McIntosh owns eight of the quickest 9.
McIntosh’s world report is quicker than the time that American Rod Strachan (4:23.68) registered for males’s Olympic gold within the 400 IM on the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Extra, it’s swifter than Debbie Meyer’s 400 freestyle world report (4:24.30) from 1970.
Within the 2025 world rankings, McIntosh was 9.61 seconds quicker than Japan’s Mio Narita, who was slotted second within the occasion at 4:33.26.
Initially an age-group standout with the Etobicoke Swim Membership, McIntosh has been guided by premier coaches all through her profession. Brent Arckey molded the teenager throughout her stint with the Sarasota Sharks whereas French teaching legend Fred Vergnoux prepped McIntosh for her sensational 2025 marketing campaign. Now, she is working with Bowman, the Corridor of Famer who guided Michael Phelps and Leon Marchand, amongst others, to Olympic glory.
Barring a change to her schedule, McIntosh’s focus this summer season might be on the Pan Pacific Championships, slated for Southern California. The meet will make the most of a four-day schedule, so it is going to be attention-grabbing to see what occasions McIntosh prioritizes in a setting not removed from the location of the 2028 Olympic Video games.
How low can McIntosh take the world report within the 400 particular person medley? Time will present that reply, however there is no such thing as a purpose to consider she received’t slice further time from her international customary. Whereas she ranks among the many world’s elite within the butterfly, backstroke and freestyle, her breaststroke has developed by way of the years and is probably going to enhance additional. Package deal her expertise collectively and there doesn’t appear to be a ceiling.
