Toronto’s Summer McIntosh aims for five Olympic golds, coached by Michael Phelps’s former mentor

By Liam Tremblay — 13 August 2026 — 3 min read

McIntosh’s Ambition and Training

Summer McIntosh, a 19-year-old swimmer from Toronto, has set an ambitious goal: to be the first woman to win five individual Olympic gold medals in a single Games. This aspiration draws a parallel to Michael Phelps, the only swimmer in history to achieve this feat at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. McIntosh has taken a significant step toward this goal by moving to Austin, Texas, to train under Bob Bowman, Phelps’s long-time coach.

Bowman has noted similarities between McIntosh and Phelps, describing them as “scarily similar in some ways.” McIntosh, who named one of her cats “Mikey” after Phelps, expressed pride in this comparison, calling it “pretty crazy and very flattering.” Her training environment with Bowman’s professional group includes other Olympic athletes such as Léon Marchand of France, Hubert Kós of Hungary, and Americans Regan Smith and Simone Manuel. This daily exposure to high-level talent is a strong motivator for McIntosh.

McIntosh has a history of remarkable achievements, including becoming the first Canadian woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympics during her second Games in Paris two years ago. She set a world record in the 200-metre butterfly last month in Montreal, erasing a long-standing mark from 2009. Her world records in the 400 freestyle and both the 200 and 400 individual medley were established a year prior. These four records were all set during Canadian trials, where her primary competition was the clock itself.

Pan Pacific Championships Performance

McIntosh recently competed at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Irvine, California. On Wednesday, she secured a silver medal in the women’s 200-metre freestyle, finishing with a time of one minute 53.86 seconds. Australia’s Lani Pallister won the event with a time of 1:53.67, while Erika Fairweather of New Zealand took third place at 1:55.05.

Following the race, McIntosh expressed some disappointment, stating, “I know I have so much more than that. Got to learn from it.” She entered the event holding four long-course world records and noted that the 200 freestyle world record, held by Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, is one of the most challenging to break. McIntosh views world records as personal bests, which helps her manage expectations and focus on improving her own times.

The Pan Pacific Championships are her most significant races this year. The venue in Irvine is located near the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which is slated to host swimming events for the 2028 Olympics. McIntosh experienced “full body chills” seeing the stadium from her airplane window, anticipating its transformation into the largest swimming venue in Olympic history.

Olympic Event Selection

Looking ahead to the Olympics, McIntosh has several individual events she could potentially compete in, with six or seven options available. Her core events, where she holds both world champion and world record titles, include the 200 butterfly, 400 freestyle, and both the 200 and 400 medleys. These events are considered almost certain for her Olympic program.

The selection of a fifth event to pursue her goal of five gold medals is still under consideration. The 800 freestyle is unlikely due to a scheduling conflict with the 200 butterfly final, which McIntosh considers her favourite event. Similarly, the 200 backstroke conflicts with the 200 medley. This leaves the 200 freestyle as a strong possibility for her fifth event. McIntosh’s decision to scratch the 200 butterfly to focus on the 200 freestyle at the Pan Pacifics suggests her interest in exploring its potential.

Other Canadian swimmers also achieved success at the Pan Pacific Championships. Taylor Ruck, a four-time Olympic medallist, earned a bronze in the women’s 50-metre butterfly with a time of 25.23 seconds and another third-place finish in the women’s 100-metre backstroke. On the men’s side, Blake Tierney of Saskatoon secured a gold medal in the men’s 100-metre backstroke, finishing with a time of 53.18 seconds.

Source: thestar.com