Summer McIntosh swims to new Canadian, Commonwealth-record time in women's 800m

Summer McIntosh just keeps getting faster.

The 18-year-old swimmer broke a Canadian and Commonwealth record in the women's 800-metre freestyle on Thursday night at the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in Plantation, Fla. 

McIntosh's touched the wall in eight minutes 9.86 seconds, which is the 10th-fastest time ever posted in the event. American Katie Ledecky holds the top nine fastest times, including the world-record mark of 8:04.79.

McIntosh's time on Thursday would have won Olympic gold in Paris just seven months ago. She opted out of the event to focus on a heavy program that included four individual events.

McIntosh became the first Canadian ever to win three gold medals at a single Games, winter or summer.

The 800m freestyle has been owned by Ledecky for more than a decade but there were signs last year at this exact meet that her grip was loosening on the event. 

At the Southern Zone South Sectional Championships in February of 2024, McIntosh went head-to-head with Ledecky. The Canadian was in control of that race from start to finish, shedding 10 seconds off of her previous best time and defeating the American in the process.

McIntosh touched the wall in a national record time of 8:11.39, beating Ledecky's time of 8:17.12.

Ledecky had not lost an 800m final in more than 13 years. The American, who has won gold in this event at the last four Olympics, is at this year's meet but opted not to swim in the event.

2024 was a banner year for McIntosh

McIntosh was named Northern Star athlete of the year in Canada for 2024, having won four Olympic medals, three of them gold.

WATCH | The moment McIntosh gets the call that she's won the Northern Star award:

Watch the moment Summer McIntosh gets the call that she's been named Canadian Athlete of the Year

2 months ago

Duration 1:14

Fresh off winning a gold and a bronze medal at the World Aquatics short course championships in Budapest, watch as Summer McIntosh receives a phone call, to inform her that she has been named Canada's athlete of the year.

She also broke a number of world, world junior records, Canadian record and Commonwealth records throughout the year. She was also named World Aquatics female swimmer of the year.

This is the first competition McIntosh is competing in since the world short course championships in Budapest this past December.

The Canadian finished the event with three world-record performances on the way to winning three gold medals, along with one silver and one bronze.

WATCH | McIntosh reflects on short course worlds as 'one of the best meets of my life':

McIntosh reflects after silver medal at short course worlds as 'one of the best meets of my life'

2 months ago

Duration 1:24

Toronto's Summer McIntosh captured the silver medal in the 200-metre backstroke setting a new Canadian record time of 1:59.96 in Budapest.

McIntosh and her Canadian teammates next major meet is the long course world championships in Singapore beginning in July.