Summer McIntosh wins 400 IM gold but misses her own world record at Canadian trials

Summer McIntosh swims to a new world record during the women's 200m butterfly final at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal, on Sunday, July 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL — Summer McIntosh won the women's 400-metre individual medley Monday at the Canadian swimming trials, but fell short of her own world record.

The Toronto swimming phenom finished in four minutes 27.35 seconds, more than three seconds off her world-record time of 4:23.65, set last year in Victoria.

Ella Jansen, of Burlington, Ont., placed second in 4:38.17, while Mary-Sophie Harvey, of Trois-Rivières, Que., was third in 4:43.26.

McIntosh opened the meet Sunday by breaking the longest-standing individual women's world record in the 200-metre butterfly.

"When I broke my first world record it was a very big shock to me and I wasn't expecting it at all, not that I was expecting it last night but it's always in the back of my mind," McIntosh said. "You kind of have to dumb it down and underappreciate it in a way, you don't want to get too cocky or too confident in yourself.

"I broke the world record last night, but tonight wasn't my best swim, so that's why you really got to take it one step at a time."

The 19-year-old McIntosh also holds the world records in the 200 IM and 400 freestyle.

McIntosh won four medals — including three gold — at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She's aiming for five gold medals at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

Later Monday, Calgary's Lorne Wigginton swam the men's 400 IM in 4:11.32 to break a long-held Canadian record set by Brian Johns at the 2008 Beijing Games (4:11.41).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2026.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press