Record-breaking Summer McIntosh inspires at Canadian swim trials in Saanich, B.C.

Canada’s best swimmers are competing in national trials on southern Vancouver Island.

As swimmer Summer McIntosh breaks world records at the national swim trials, young athletes are looking up to her and travelling to Saanich, B.C., to watch her in action.

The 18-year-old from Toronto took two world records in three days in the Vancouver Island community. McIntosh, a three-time Olympic champion, broke the records for the 200-metre individual medley and the 400-metre freestyle.

“I’m witnessing history, which is pretty awesome,” said Tayah Giesbrecht, a former competitive swimmer and lifeguard at Commonwealth Place, where the trials are taking place.

“There are kids from all over the Island who are growing up swimming, and they’re coming down from three hours, four hours away just to see her race these events.”

Other fans are competing in the same pool, including 17-year-old Loriane Price from Quebec.

“It’s so crazy to see her (McIntosh) do that stuff. She’s just like us,” Price said. “It’s special to me because it’s not something that I’m going to see often. And like, when I see it, I feel motivated to break my own personal records.”

Event organizers said roughly 800 athletes are competing in the trials, which run through Thursday. They’re a selection event for athletes to achieve the paralympic, national and junior national teams.

“A world record in any sport is a big deal. And to have that happen in a community pool here is exciting,” said Jocelyn Jay, Swimming Canada’s associate director of sport development.

Saanich’s Commonwealth Place pool last hosted the national trials in 2022.

Organizers estimate event attendees are collectively spending millions of dollars in Greater Victoria.

“It’s just an influx of sport tourism, which is exciting for our sport, but also the community,” Jay said.