Teen swimming sensation Summer McIntosh leads Canadian medal haul with world title, relay bronze
CBC
At just 15 years old, Canadian Summer McIntosh asserted herself as a swimming force on Wednesday at the aquatics world championships.
In the first event of the day, the Toronto native won her first career world championship gold medal in the 200-metre butterfly. Later, in the last race on the schedule, she powered Canada to bronze in the women's 4x200m freestyle relay with an opening leg that would have been fast enough to win individual gold.
McIntosh wasn't the only Canadian teen to make waves on Wednesday, either.
Josh Liendo, 19, reached his first-ever podium at worlds, swimming to bronze in the men's 100m freestyle.
And relative team veteran Kylie Masse added a new accolade of her own, capturing the country's second gold medal of the day in the 50m backstroke.
McIntosh now has the full set of medals at worlds after previously earning silver in the 400m freestyle. She earned her gold with a world-junior record of two minutes 5.20 seconds, breaking the mark she set in semifinals Tuesday.
"I think I'm a little bit in shock right now," she said after the race.
WATCH | McIntosh bursts to gold medal:
American Hali Flickinger took silver in 2:06.08, while China's Zhang Yufei scored bronze in 2:06.32.
McIntosh bided her time en route to victory, keeping close to the leaders through 100 metres while making sure not to empty the gas tank too early.
"I didn't expect to go 2:05," McIntosh said. "But as soon as I stepped out with all the energy and excitement from the crowd, I just fed off that. I got a lot of adrenaline and motivation and put it down."
That unexpected time was over eight seconds faster than McIntosh's mother Jill Horstead swam to finish ninth at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
The gold medal also marked the first podium appearance ever for Canada in the women's 200m butterfly at worlds.
WATCH | McIntosh leads Canadian relay bronze:
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