Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh claimed the first gold medal of her just-burgeoning career Monday night with a dominating victory in the 400-meter individual medley at the Paris Olympics.
The 17-year-old McIntosh collected her first career medal on the opening night of swimming, taking a silver in the 400 freestyle behind Ariarne Titmus — and ahead of Katie Ledecky.
Now, McIntosh has the best colour of all.
She pushed the pace hard through the first half of the grueling race — the butterfly and backstroke legs — to leave everyone in her wake except American Katie Grimes.
Toronto’s Summer McIntosh won her first-career Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024, and also became the first Canadian swimmer to win an Olympic 400-metre individual medley race.
McIntosh was under her own world-record pace, but couldn’t keep it going. She touched in 4 minutes, 27.71 seconds, more than three seconds off the mark of 4:24.38 she set at the Canadian trials in May.
But it was more than good enough to vanquish the field in the Olympic final.
Grimes, who is also swimming the open water event in Paris, held on to claim the silver in 4:33.40. The Americans also grabbed the bronze when Emma Weyant touched in 4:34.93.
She’s racing four individual events with the 200-metre medley and butterfly coming up later this week.
The teenager is also expected to race in the relay finals.
Kylie Masse and Ingrid Wilm advanced to the women’s 100m backstroke in fifth and sixth places, respectively.
Mary-Sophie Harvey takes Canada back to the pool at 3.53 p.m. ET in the women’s 200m freestyle final.
Watch the Canadian flag rise to the rafters after Toronto’s Summer McIntosh is awarded her first Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024.
Another teen rules
David Popovici made the teenagers 2-for-2 on the night when he pulled off a thrilling victory in the men’s 200 freestyle.
The 19-year-old Romanian was among three swimmers who swapped the lead back and forth on the final lap. First, it was American Luke Hobson edging in front. Then Britain’s Matthew Richards, out in Lane 1, pushed to the lead.
Finally, it was Popovici mustering everything he had to get to the wall in 1:44.72 — a mere two-hundredths ahead of Richards, with Hobson just 0.07 back to earn the bronze.
Britain’s Duncan Scott, the silver medallist in Tokyo three years ago, finished in 1:44.87 to miss out on the podium this time. The top four were separated by a mere 0.15 seconds.
WATCH l McIntosh wins 1st career Olympic medal:
Toronto teen Summer McIntosh won her first-career Olympic medal, swimming to silver in the women’s 400m freestyle final. Australia’s Ariarne Titmus won gold, while American Katie Ledecky claimed bronze.