Summer McIntosh breaks women's 200-metre butterfly world record at Canadian trials

Summer McIntosh waves to fans after setting a new world in the women's 200-metre butterfly final at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal, on Sunday, July 5, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

MONTREAL — Summer McIntosh is the new world record-holder in the women’s 200-metre butterfly.

The swimming sensation touched the wall in two minutes 1.65 seconds on Sunday night at the Canadian trials, breaking Chinese swimmer Liu Zige’s once-untouchable mark.

“That was the one world record that I’ve always dreamt of as a kid,” an emotional McIntosh said. “To now do it is really incredible.”

Zige’s time of 2:01.81, set in 2009 during what’s known as the super-suit era, was the longest-standing individual women’s record.

McIntosh has long targeted the mark, coming within 0.18 seconds of it with a time of 2:01.99 at last year’s world championships.

The normally stone-faced swimmer slammed her fists into the water in celebration while smiling ear-to-ear as the crowd erupted inside the Olympic pool.

“It was a really emotional moment for me,” she said. “This is something that I’ve been working on for a really long time, and getting so close to it after world championships in Singapore, then it became a possibility.”

The 19-year-old from Toronto — a triple Olympic gold medallist at the Paris 2024 Games — now holds four long-course world records after setting three in five days at last year’s trials in Victoria, setting new standards in the 400 freestyle, 400 individual medley and 200 IM.

She followed that showing with four gold medals and one silver at the world championships in Singapore, becoming just the second woman to win quadruple gold at a single worlds.

But even with all the accolades, McIntosh’s mom, Jill, said Sunday’s result was “extra special.”

“That world record was Summer’s dream as a 10-year-old,” said Jill McIntosh, an Olympic swimmer at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. “This shows you when you dream bigger than you can possibly imagine, you can get anything done.

“The amount of hard work that has gone into that is incredible but she embraces it and I’m so proud of her.”

Fans dotted the Olympic pool stands with signs supporting Canada’s biggest swimming star, including one that read, “Fly Summer Fly!”

Sunday was the first opportunity for many Canadian fans to see McIntosh race since her high-profile move to train in Austin, Texas, under renowned coach Bob Bowman, who guided Michael Phelps to a record 23 Olympic gold medals.

McIntosh will also compete in the 400 IM on Monday, the 400 free on Tuesday and the 200 IM on Wednesday ahead of next month’s Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, Calif.

The Montreal venue is hosting the national trials 50 years after holding the swimming competition at the 1976 Olympics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2026.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press