History of Summer McIntosh in Timeline

Summer McIntosh is a highly accomplished Canadian competitive swimmer. She boasts an impressive record including three Olympic medals, eight World Aquatics Championships, and two Commonwealth Games golds. Specializing in medley, freestyle, and butterfly, McIntosh currently holds world records in the 200m and 400m individual medley and 400m freestyle in long course. She also has Olympic and textile records in the 200m butterfly. In short course, she has four World Swimming Championships gold medals and world records in the 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly, and 400m individual medley.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1978: Youngest winner since Tracy Caulkins in 1978

In 2022, Summer McIntosh became the youngest winner since Tracy Caulkins in 1978.

1982: Youngest Canadian world champion in history

In 2022, Summer McIntosh was the youngest Canadian world champion in history, surpassing Victor Davis in 1982.

1984: Mother's appearance in the same event

In 1984, forty years prior to Summer McIntosh's Olympic gold in the 200m butterfly, her mother competed in the same event.

1996: Donovan Bailey's Olympic gold medals

In 1996, Donovan Bailey won two gold medals at the Summer Olympics, a feat not repeated by a Canadian until Summer McIntosh.

August 18, 2006: Summer McIntosh's birth

On August 18, 2006, Summer Ann McIntosh was born. She is a Canadian competitive swimmer.

Others born on this day/year

2009: Liu Zige's world record

In 2009, Liu Zige set a world record in the 200m butterfly using a "supersuit", which was later prohibited, making it the longest-standing record in women's competitive swimming, until Summer McIntosh nearly broke it.

2010: Katie Ledecky's last defeat in the 800 metre distance

In 2010, prior to Summer McIntosh's victory in 2024, Katie Ledecky had not been defeated in the 800 metre distance since 2010.

2011: First 15-year-old to win a World title since China's Ye Shiwen in 2011

In 2022, Summer McIntosh was the first 15-year-old to win a World title since China's Ye Shiwen in 2011.

2014: Broke Brittany MacLean's national record

In 2014, Brittany MacLean set a national record at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships that Summer McIntosh broke in 2024.

2014: First time Ledecky had lost a domestic final since 2014

In 2023, Summer McIntosh won the 200 metre freestyle event over Katie Ledecky, and it was the first time Ledecky had lost a domestic final in the 200 metre distance or higher since 2014.

2016: McIntosh breaks world record set at 2016 Summer Olympics

In March 2023, Summer McIntosh won the 400 metre medley with a time of 4:25.87, breaking the world record that Katinka Hosszú had set at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

2016: Reference to Katinka Hosszú's winning time at the 2016 Summer Olympics

In March 4, 2022, Summer McIntosh swam the 400 metre individual medley at a preparatory event for the Canadian swimming trials, recording a time of 4:29.12, the fastest time recorded by any swimmer since Katinka Hosszú's winning time at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

2020: Qualification for 2020 Summer Olympics

In 2020, Summer McIntosh qualified for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

2020: Youngest member of Canadian team at 2020 Summer Olympics

In 2020, at age 14, Summer McIntosh was the youngest member of the Canadian team for the Summer Olympics, where she achieved a fourth-place finish in the 400 metre freestyle.

May 2021: Fastest time ever by a 14-year-old swimmer

In May 2021, Summer McIntosh swam a 4:05.13 in the 400 metre freestyle, the fastest time ever by a 14-year-old swimmer worldwide.

2021: Canadian Olympic swimming trials

During the 2021 Canadian Olympic swimming trials in Toronto, Summer McIntosh won the 200 metre freestyle event and the 800 metre freestyle event. She was the youngest person named to the Canadian Olympic team.

2021: 2021 World Swimming Championships

In 2021, Summer McIntosh was part of the Canadian team for the World Swimming Championships, and won a silver medal as part of the 4×100 metre medley relay and helped the Canadian team in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay, winning gold. McIntosh also won silver in the 400 metre freestyle race.

2021: First appearance at the World Swimming Championships since 2021

In 2024, it was Summer McIntosh's first appearance at the World Swimming Championships since 2021.

2021: Last contested the 800m freestyle

Prior to the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, Summer McIntosh had last contested the 800m freestyle at an international championship in 2021.

March 4, 2022: National and Commonwealth record in 400 metre individual medley

On March 4, 2022, Summer McIntosh swam the 400 metre individual medley at a preparatory event for the Canadian swimming trials, recording a time of 4:29.12. This set a national and Commonwealth record.

2022: Appeared in the 200m medley at an international competition

In 2022, Summer McIntosh appeared in the 200 metre medley at the Commonwealth Games, which was one of only two times she had competed in the event at an international competition.

2022: Senior FINA World Aquatics Championships debut

In 2022, Summer McIntosh made her senior FINA World Aquatics Championships debut at the edition in Budapest, Hungary. She finished second in the 400 metre freestyle, setting a new personal best and national record time. She won her first World title in the 200 metre butterfly and participated in the event final of the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, winning a bronze medal. In the 400 metre individual medley, McIntosh won her second gold medal of the championships.

2022: Commonwealth Games

In 2022, Summer McIntosh was part of her first Commonwealth Games team. She won gold in the 400 m medley and participated in Canada's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team, winning a bronze medal. She won the gold medal in the 200 metre individual medley and took silver in the 400 metre freestyle and the 4 × 100 metre medley relay.

2022: FINA Swimming World Cup

In 2022, at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Toronto, Summer McIntosh set a new world junior record, World Cup record, Americas record, and Canadian record in the 400 metre freestyle. She also won the gold medal in the 400 metre individual medley with a world junior record and Canadian record time.

2022: U.S. Open Swimming Championships

In 2022, at the U.S. Open Swimming Championships, Summer McIntosh won the gold medal in the 400 metre individual medley with a Championships record, world junior record, and US Open record time. She also won the silver medal in the 200 metre backstroke and the 400 metre freestyle.

April 2023: McIntosh set world records

In April 2023, Summer McIntosh set her first and second world records, in the 400 metre freestyle and 400 individual medley events, at the Canadian national trials.

2023: Pro Swim Series

In 2023, Summer McIntosh lowered her national and world junior records in the 200 metre butterfly at the Pro Swim Series event in Fort Lauderdale. She broke Taylor Ruck's national record and lowered her prior world junior record with a time of 1:54.13 in the 200 metre freestyle event, and she broke Sydney Pickrem's national record in the 200 metre individual medley.

2023: 2023 U.S. Open Swimming Championships

In 2023, Summer McIntosh won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle race, and went on to defend her gold medal in the 400m individual medley at the U.S. Open Swimming Championships.

2023: 2023 World Aquatics Championships

Summer McIntosh participated in the 2023 World Aquatics Championships. She came third in the heats in the 400 metre freestyle, but finished narrowly in fourth place in the final. She joined the Canadian team in the final of the 4×100 metre freestyle relay. She came third in the 200m freestyle event final, and defended her title in the 200m butterfly and improved on her world junior record in the event. McIntosh also defended her title, winning in championship record time in the 400m medley.

2024: McIntosh's performance at the 2024 Summer Olympics

At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Summer McIntosh's performance, in which she won four individual medals (three gold and one silver), further increased her fame. Time dubbed it the "Summer of Summer".

2024: Competed at the World Swimming Championships and received the Northern Star Award

In 2024, Summer McIntosh competed at the World Swimming Championships, winning gold in the 400m freestyle and setting a new short course world record. She also earned a bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay and was voted the recipient of the Northern Star Award as Canada's top athlete for 2024.

2024: Opted out of World Aquatics Championships and defeated Katie Ledecky

In 2024, Summer McIntosh opted not to attend the World Aquatics Championships in Doha due to its proximity to the Summer Olympics. In early February 2024, she defeated Katie Ledecky in the 800 metre distance at a sectional event in Orlando.

2025: Contemplated working with Bob Bowman

At the end of February, Summer McIntosh announced that she would be looking to add a fifth individual event to her program for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, and was contemplating working with Bob Bowman in the future.

2025: Competed at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore

In 2025, at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Summer McIntosh won the gold medal in the 400m freestyle and the 200m individual medley, surpassing Kylie Masse and Penny Oleksiak for the most medals earned by a Canadian swimmer, with a total of ten World Aquatics Championships medals.