PARIS – By now we know the talent of Canada’s Summer McIntosh, a multiple world record holder, world champion, and a swimmer poised for a massive Olympic Games.
But we’re about to find out how savvy the Toronto teenager is as a strategist and a competitor, a huge factor in being able to take on and defeat the world’s best.
In her debut race at these Paris Games here on Saturday morning, a preliminary heat for the 400-metre freestyle, McIntosh swam a tactically sound effort, picking up the pace late and finishing second to New Zealand’s Erika Fairweather in a time of 4:02.55. While it was the fourth-fastest clocking from the heats, it easily qualified her for a star-studded field that includes U.S. legend Katie Ledecky, who won her heat in 4:02.19, and reigning Olympic champ Ariarne Titus (4:02.46.).
In a carefully planned year of training, McIntosh and her coaches have emphasized taking care of business and preserving energy to save her best for the biggest of races that await at La Defense Arena.
The first of those is scheduled for later Saturday in what shapes up as a massive showdown between the three most recent world record holders as well as Fairweather.
The McIntosh camp is well aware that to compete against the world’s best she will have to be as crafty as they are, when it comes to planning. It was clear in her elimination heat that she was conserving energy for the evening session, though flashing a nice kick in her final 50 metres to just miss gunning down Fairweather at the all. The final figures to be significantly faster and we’ll get a first indication of the “racer” in McIntosh.
In the three years since she has made her Olympic debut, McIntosh’s Team Canada teammates have seen that side of her grow to match the sublime talent that has seen her emerge as one of the best in the world.
“She’s really excited for the challenge and I think that’s something to be admired at a young age,” veteran Canadian swimmer Sydney Pickrem said. “She’d rather swim a three-way battle for first rather than be ahead of the game. She really does thrive in the challenge. I admire her for that and am excited to see what she can do.”
Pickrem would not be alone in that regard as McIntosh is arguably Canada’s most highly-touted athletes at these Games, a meet in which she is expected to contend for multiple medals. Though she finished fourth in the 2023 world championships in the 400 free, she is clearly in the mix with the titans of the event, even though so many are anxious to pit the final as an Aussie-American showdown between Ledecky and Titmus.
It could be an incredibly eventful evening for McIntosh to kickstart the meet. She’s also a candidate to swim a leg of the potent 4×100 metre freestyle relay team that is expected to a contend for a medal. The four named for that race won’t be decided until later in the day for a night session that will be rich in atmosphere at the lively venue.
McIntosh has been meticulously managed in the buildup to Paris as Swimming Canada officials, her parents and her coach, Brent Arckey work to limit distractions. As such, she didn’t speak with the media following her Saturday race, dedicated to the rest and recovery routine designed to have her at her best when the podium is on the line.
“That’s how you have to approach it. You almost have to block out a lot of the white noise and do what you need to do to get in and race,” said Swimming Canada high performance director and national coach, John Atkinson. “When you are in the heats, get to the final and when you are in the final, every lane is 50 metres long and race it to the best you can be.”
It certainly shapes up to be a big opening day for Canada, which includes Maggie Mac Neil of London, Ont. and her attempt to repeat the Olympic gold she won in Tokyo in the 100 metre butterfly. Mac Neil was a solid second in her heat to advance to the semi-final in the evening. The final will be raced on Sunday.
“It’s the first swim of the meet for Canada and everyone,” Mac Neil said following her prelim. “It’s about getting my feet wet and what the pool is like and then hopefully improve tonight.
“Trying to save the energy for tonight.”
She’ll need it, too. Mac Neil is expected to be part of the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay team that is considered a solid medal contender for the final in the Saturday night session. From that group, McIntosh and even the men’s 4×100 metre free, it could be a massive opening day for the Canadian team.
“It’s really crucial (to get off to a quick start),” Mac Neil said. “We said it in Rio when we won a medal in relay on the first day and the same in Tokyo when we won a medal on the first day. It carries through not just for us, but for the entire [Canadian] team, in every sport.”