Canadian swimming star Summer McIntosh has been very clear about what her goals are for the Los Angeles Olympics two years from now: five individual gold medals.
Everything she’s been doing over the past year has been geared toward that. This week's Pan Pacific swimming championships, in the same city she hopes to light up in 2028, will be the first real indicator of where she stands.
As the teen — for only a few more days with her 20th birthday next week — flew in for the meet which begins Wednesday, she was reminded of her expectations for the next Games.
“I literally didn't have my window open for the entire flight and then as I opened the window, I saw the stadium and I got chills. It was the coolest moment ever. I mean, flying over that stadium, I was just imagining what I hope to do there,” McIntosh said. “Every day I think about L.A. and I'm so excited for it. So to be in California I think is really special. Even just being in the state that the Olympics will be I think is really important.”
McIntosh won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics and catapulted to superstardom in her sport.
Summer McIntosh breaks women’s 200m butterfly world record at Canadian swim trials
She is in a league of her own right now, holding four individual long-course world records in the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley.
Her most recent world record — the 200m fly set at the Canadian trials in Montreal at the beginning of July — was extraordinary as she took down the longest-standing women’s world record, dating back to 2009.
WATCH | McIntosh breaks 200m butterfly world record at Canadian trials:
Canada's Summer McIntosh breaks 200-metre butterfly world record time at Canadian swimming trials
But just a day after that momentous swim, McIntosh pulled out of the trials due to illness. She’s spent the past few weeks recovering and building toward Pan Pacs and says she’s fully healthy again.
“That was really tough because I was coming off such a high and then waking up the next morning really not feeling well,” she said. “After I pulled out of the meet, my goal was just to get back on my feet as fast as possible heading into Pan Pacs, because I knew it would be a quick turnaround. So that's what I've done. I'm feeling great in the water now and I've done everything to prevent getting sick again.”
Summer McIntosh withdraws from Canadian swim trials due to illness
McIntosh is part of a 42-person Canadian team competing at the William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, an outdoor pool in in Irvine, Calif.
This is the first time McIntosh is competing at the Pan Pacs championships. Usually held ever four years, the 2022 event was cancelled because of scheduling issues presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
