Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh shattered the 17-year-old world record in the 200-metre butterfly at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal on Sunday, July 6, 2026, with a time of 2:01.65, lowering Liu Zige's 2009 mark by 0.16 seconds. The record, set during the era of performance-enhancing swimsuits, had been considered untouchable by many in the sport.
Bowman draws comparisons to Phelps
McIntosh, who trains under Bob Bowman—the legendary coach of Michael Phelps—now holds an incredible four long-course world records. Bowman, who coached Phelps for 20 years and 28 Olympic medals, did not hesitate to draw parallels between the 19-year-old Canadian and the most decorated Olympian of all time.
“They’re scarily similar in some ways,” Bowman told reporters in Montreal. “She probably won’t have all of the relay opportunities that he had, so the medals will look different. But in terms of the individuals, they are very similar. Just mentally. The program is almost identical. (McIntosh) has a lot of the same things that Michael had. An ability to step up and do it when it needs to be done. A very clear way of preparing for her races. She knows exactly what her routine is. She’s locked in and that’s important.”
McIntosh's rise to dominance
McIntosh, a Toronto teenager, burst onto the international scene at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won three gold medals and one silver. She has since continued her dominance, and her latest world record came in front of a large and loud home crowd in Montreal. The record of 2:01.81 set by China's Liu Zige in 2009—when high-tech “super suits” were still permitted—was a long-time target for McIntosh.
“That was one record I’ve always dreamed of,” McIntosh said after the race.
Bowman, who also trains French star Leon Marchand, praised McIntosh's ability to channel the crowd's energy. “She uses the crowd’s energy to swim faster,” he said. “She’s all business at the pool. She’s very serious. She knows what she wants to do, she knows what it’s going to take to get there, and she’s willing to work hard.”
Future ambitions and legacy
McIntosh's ambition extends to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where she aims to win five individual gold medals—a feat that would be unprecedented in women's swimming. Bowman, who began coaching McIntosh last year, believes she already ranks among the greatest women swimmers of all time.
“She already is,” Bowman said when asked if McIntosh has the potential to be an all-time great. “It’s hard to start naming the best women swimmers of all time and not say her. Even now. I think she’ll need another good Olympics or two and that would be the answer.”
Swimming Canada's high performance director, John Atkinson, echoed the sentiment, calling the pairing of McIntosh and Bowman a “phenomenal athlete, phenomenal coach” combination. “I wouldn’t put limits on her,” Atkinson said.
