In their first competitive event of the year at this week’s FINA Swimming World Cup, Summer McIntosh of Canada and Katie Ledecky of the United States were unsure of what to anticipate.
They appeared to benefit from the off-rest. season’s Both are already performing at an elite level.
On Saturday night at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, Ledecky set a world record in the 1,500 freestyle while McIntosh established a global junior record in the women’s 400-meter medley.
According to some of my training, especially my distance work, which has felt incredibly fantastic this autumn, I knew the record was within sight, said Ledecky. I thus felt locked into the pace.
The 10-time Olympian, who doesn’t normally compete in short-course races, won gold in 15:08.24, beating the previous mark set by Sarah Wellbrock of Germany (15:18.01) in 2019.
McIntosh led a Canadian sweep by winning the 400 medley in 4:21.49. On Friday, she also broke the world junior record when she beat Ledecky in the 400 free.
I felt incredibly powerful and in control the entire race, so I’m really thrilled,” she remarked.
Bailey Andison of Smiths Falls, Ontario, came in third in 4:29.36, followed by Sydney Pickrem of Halifax in second place in 4:28.45.
McIntosh, a 16-year-old from Toronto, cut over two seconds off the previous world junior record (4:23. 33), which was established by China’s Shiwen Ye in 2012.
Ledecky won the gold medal ahead of Laila Oravsky of Barrie, Ontario, who finished third in 16:16. 86, and Beatriz Dizotti of Brazil (15:48. 82).
Being a part of something so magnificent is just so surreal, said Oravsky. “I participated in the quickest 1,500 that has ever been swum. It’s absurd.
Later in the evening, Maggie Mac Neil of London, Ont.
, who won the women’s 50-meter butterfly in 24.75 seconds, lowered her national record.
In the women’s 100-meter backstroke, Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ontario, took second place in 56.16, almost a half-second behind American Beata Nelson (55. 75). Ingrid Wilm of Calgary finished third in 56.21.
In the men’s 200-meter medley, Canadian Finlay Knox finished in second place, 1:52.75 seconds behind American Shaine Casas (1:50. 37).
Canada increased its overall tally to 17 heading into the last day of competition on Sunday with eight additional medals on the night.
At Ledecky’s conclusion, the almost full audience let out one of its loudest cheers. She glanced up at the scoreboard to see her world-record time and splashed the water.
She admitted that the most of her feelings were caused by how much it hurt. “When something hurts that much, you want to see a great result like that. It was merely primarily joyful.
“I was happy with the outcome and I felt fantastic. ”
She came back to the pool shortly after for the 200-meter freestyle and won silver in 1:52. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey of Hong Kong was 31 places back.
Ledecky admitted, “I didn’t have any amazing type of preparation for this meet. “I only wanted to visit and compete against some swimmers from abroad. I basically had fun with it because these meets—in Toronto and Indianapolis the next week—will take place on North American territory.
Javier Acevedo of Toronto placed fifth in the men’s 50-meter backstroke, and Burlington, Ontario’s Ella Jansen placed fifth in the women’s 200-meter free.
Summer McIntosh and Maggie Mac Neil of Canada win gold in the swimming World Cup.
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