Summer McIntosh Breaks New Record, Wins Gold in Hungary

Summary:
- Summer McIntosh broke two new world records at the World Short Course Championships.
- On Thursday, she grabbed gold in the 200-metre butterfly (1:59.32) after setting a world record in Tuesday’s 400-metre freestyle (3:50.25).
- Ilya Kharun clinched his first world title in the men’s 200m butterfly, setting a championship record (1:48.24).
Canadian swimming prodigy Summer McIntosh has added another world record to her impressive week at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
On Thursday, the reigning Olympic and world champion surged through the women’s 200-metre butterfly in 1:59.32, securing gold ahead of American Regan Smith, who finished in 2:01.00.
Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers took third with a time of 2:02.91.
Two Word Records in Two Days
McIntosh’s record-breaking swim on Thursday eclipsed the previous mark of 1:59.61 set by Spain’s Mireia Belmonte Garcia in 2014.
This milestone came just days after McIntosh set a new world record in the women’s 400-metre freestyle, clocking 3:50.25 on Tuesday for her first individual world short course title.
Reflecting on her achievement, the 18-year-old told Devin Heroux of CBC Sports,
After this morning I definitely felt it was a possibility to break the two-minute barrier and get the world record.
Toronotinian said she will use the $25,000 US she will receive for her world-record performance to buy “extra [Christmas] gifts for my friends and family.“
The Goal Is to “Keep Pushing Forward”
The Toronto native’s medal collection now totals 14 across short course (25m pool) and long course (50m pool) world championships.
Having spent the fall training in Florida, the iconic swimmer showcased her peak form in Hungary. Looking ahead, McIntosh explained that every time she has “a great meet like this”, her goal when r]going back to training is “to keep pushing forward.”
It’s only a bigger motivator to keep trying to get better. Super excited to see all my hard work pay off.
Earlier in the week, McIntosh was granted the prestigious Northern Star Award in recognition of her being Canada’s top athlete of the year.
Ilya Kharun Won His First World Title
In the men’s 200-metre butterfly, Montreal’s Ilya Kharun also made waves, setting a new championship record with a time of 1:48.24 and grabbing his first world title.
The 19-year-old edged out Italy’s Alberto Razzetti (1:48.64), while Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski finished third in 1:49.26.
Kharun, who had previously swam 1:50.86 in the same event at the 2022 championships, described the victory as “a surreal feeling.”
“I knew I had a chance to get first.“, the 19-year-old swimmer added. His success came after he had previously captured silver in the men’s 50-metre butterfly and contributed to Canada’s silver medal in the mixed 4×50-metre relay.
Meanwhile, Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm is eyeing her fourth medal at the championships in the women’s 50-metre backstroke final on Friday.
Wilm and LaSalle, Ontario’s Kylie Masse qualified in third and fourth place, respectively, with times of 25.81 and 25.98 seconds.
Together with Kylie Masse, Wilm qualified third and fourth in 25.81 and 25.98 seconds, respectively.
Wilm kicked off her medal haul with a bronze in the 100-metre freestyle relay while Masse helped win silver in the mixed 4×50-metre medley relay alongside Wilm, Kharun, and Finlay Knox.
Sydney Pickrem secured a spot in the women’s 100-metre individual medley final by a slim margin, finishing eighth with a time of 58.47.