Summer McIntosh blows away competition to win Olympic gold

CBC

With Canadians worldwide watching on Monday, Summer McIntosh once again found herself at the podium at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

GOLD.

17-year-old Summer McIntosh wins her very first gold medal!

Made it look easy. That was incredible.

The first of many, I’d reckon. @CBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/pnsCPCbXVn

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 29, 2024

The 17-year-old Canadian swimmer, who has emerged as one of the early stars of her second Olympic Games, placed first in the 400m individual medley event on Monday night in the French capital to win the gold medal with a time of 4:27.71.

Summer McIntosh BLOWS AWAY the competition to win gold for Canada 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/iQq1V8wGr4

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) July 29, 2024

The medal is Canada’s fifth of the Olympic Games, with the country having won judo and synchronized diving medals earlier in the day on Monday.

Out of all the conversations over the years.

This one means the most.

🇨🇦 Summer McIntosh is an Olympic champion.

And she’s absolutely beaming. 17 years old. And just getting started. pic.twitter.com/vZU4RUTH3e

— Devin Heroux (@Devin_Heroux) July 29, 2024

McIntosh entered the race as the world record holder in the event, having broken her own record just a few months ago at the Canadian swim trials. In the heats this morning, McIntosh put up the third-best time with a mark of 4:37.35, trailing just Americans Emma Wyant and Katie Grimes by under two seconds. The pair finished in the silver and bronze medal positions in the final to make it a North American sweep on the podium.

Summer McIntosh BLOWS AWAY the competition to win gold for Canada 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/iQq1V8wGr4

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) July 29, 2024

McIntosh competed at the Tokyo Games just three years ago as a 14-year-old, setting the stage for what’s already been an impressive Olympic career. She is a second-generation Olympian, with her mother Jill Horstead having competed in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, though she was unable to reach the podium herself.

On Saturday, McIntosh picked up both her and Canada’s first medal of the Games, with a silver in the 400m freestyle event.

McIntosh finished behind world record holder Australian Adrianne Titmus, but bested iconic American swimmer Katie Ledecky to finish second in the event.

In total, she’ll be competing in five solo events while in Paris: with the 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly, and 200m individual medley still yet to be contested for the rising Canadian star.

McIntosh was also part of Canada’s 4×100 freestyle relay team on Saturday, which was anchored by Canada’s most decorated Olympian, Penny Oleksiak.

With a time of 3:32.99, Canada finished in fourth place and slightly off the podium in the team event.

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