'Once-in-a-generation swimmer': McIntosh breaks Canadian record on opening night of trials

Every time 15-year-old Canadian swimming superstar Summer McIntosh hits the water it's a must-see event.

Since last June when she catapulted onto the national scene with her staggering performances at the Olympic trials and followed that up with strong Olympic performances, McIntosh has continued to up the ante by lowering her times in the pool.

And she didn't disappoint on opening night of the national swimming trials at Saanich Commonwealth Place in Victoria.

Her time of 4:01.59 is the third-fastest time in the world this year.

"I'm quite happy with that. Going into the race I didn't really expect a certain time. I didn't really know what I was capable of," McIntosh told CBC Sports after the race.

"I'm pretty happy with that. Dropping some time off my Olympic race."

WATCH l McIntosh breaks own Canadian record in women's 400m freestyle:

Her record-setting performance comes just a little more than a month after she swam the third-fastest time ever in the 400m IM during an invitational trials prep event at the beginning of March.

This is the trend now — McIntosh is shaving time off each event she competes in at a staggering rate.

Asked if she's surprised by her meteoric ascension in the swimming world, McIntosh shyly suggested she was but then pointed to all the work she's been doing to get to this point.

"In some races I know my training will reflect the performances. I know what I'm capable of after all the hard work I've done," she said.

And she's just getting started at the trials. McIntosh has a busy schedule this week with the 200m freestyle, 200m butterfly and 400m IM events still ahead of her.

"I'm really excited for the rest of my races. I have a pretty big schedule but as long as I take good care of myself and prepare myself well and recover well, I'll hopefully do good," McIntosh said.

Longtime CBC Sports swimming analyst Byron MacDonald was inside Saanich Commonwealth Place Tuesday night for McIntosh's performance and had the highest praise for the phenom from Toronto.