Summer McIntosh Makes Waves with Double Gold for Canada
Canadian swimming star Summer McIntosh just delivered a major splash at the world swimming championships, capturing two gold medals in as many days. Competing in Singapore, the 18-year-old from Toronto made her mark once again—winning the women’s 200-metre individual medley on Monday.
She clocked a time of 2:06.69, securing her second gold with ease, though falling just shy of her world record. But for McIntosh, winning gold mattered more than chasing time.
“My goal was to get my hand on the wall first,” she said. “So to get that done is good.”
Team Canada Dominates the Podium
It wasn’t just McIntosh making headlines. Fellow Canadian Mary-Sophie Harvey snagged bronze, marking her first-ever individual long-course world medal. The 25-year-old from Laval, Quebec, had come close before—finishing fourth in three events at the Paris Olympics—but this time, she stepped onto the podium.
“It’s my first individual (medal) so I’m pretty happy about it,” Harvey said, beaming. “It was special to share the podium with Summer.”
McIntosh echoed that emotion, saying Harvey’s bronze was the true highlight of her night.
“She deserves it, and to share that moment for Team Canada was amazing,” McIntosh added.
12-Year-Old Prodigy Nearly Grabs a Medal
In an unexpected twist, Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old swimmer from China, narrowly missed a medal. She finished fourth with a time of 2:09.21, stunning the global swimming community. Yu’s main events—the 400 IM and 200 butterfly—are still to come, and fans worldwide will be watching.
McIntosh Aims for Five Golds
McIntosh isn’t done yet. Monday’s win puts her two-for-two, with three more events ahead:
400 individual medley
800 freestyle
200 butterfly
If she captures all five, she’ll join the legendary Michael Phelps, the only swimmer to ever earn five individual golds at a single world championship.
Canada’s Medal Count Grows
With McIntosh and Harvey’s wins, Canada now holds four medals at the world aquatics championships. Earlier, Simone Leathead of Montreal won silver in the women’s 20-metre high diving—Canada’s first medal at this meet.
Kylie Masse, Taylor Ruck Advance to Finals
Meanwhile, Kylie Masse of LaSalle, Ontario, and Taylor Ruck of Kelowna, British Columbia, secured spots in the 100-metre backstroke final. Masse posted the third-fastest semifinal time at 58.66 seconds, while Ruck clocked in at 59.18.
Gretchen Walsh Grabs First U.S. Gold
Across the pool, Gretchen Walsh gave Team USA its first gold of the championships, winning the 100-metre butterfly in 54.73 seconds. Just off her world record, Walsh powered through illness to reach the top of the podium.
“My body has just been fragile,” she said, referencing a team-wide illness picked up during training in Thailand.
Despite battling what officials described as “acute gastroenteritis,” Walsh recovered just in time for finals, making her gold even more impressive.
More Highlights from Monday Night
Alex Walsh, Gretchen’s older sister, chased McIntosh closely for 150 metres before falling back on the freestyle leg.
Qin Haiyang of China captured gold in the men’s 100-metre breaststroke, edging out Olympic champion Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy.
Maxime Grousset of France claimed the men’s 50-metre butterfly, barely beating Noe Ponti of Switzerland.
A Golden Start for Team Canada
With two golds from McIntosh, a breakthrough bronze from Harvey, and silver from Leathead, Canada’s swimmers are off to a strong start. And with several days left in the competition, even more podium moments are likely ahead.
Stay tuned to Maple Wire for more updates from the world championships and beyond.
