Summer Crowned Athlete Of The Year

Funkita athlete Summer McIntosh has finished 2023 with another win, named the Canadian Press female athlete of the year. And what a year it has been for Summer.

2023 started with racing at the Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale in March, where she broke 3 Junior World Records setting herself up for a big return to her hometown of Toronto for the Canadian World Championships Trials.

It was there that the 16 year old took the swimming world by storm. Taking her success to the highest possible level setting a new World Record with a blistering 3:56.08 in the 400m Freestyle toppling the world record of 3:56.4 that Ariarne Titmus set at the Australian Championships in 2022.

She then made history by breaking the world record in the 400m individual medley, the first time any swimmer has held both World Records for the 400m events.

The eyes of the swimming world were on Summer as she lined up against two of the biggest names in swimming for the 'race of the century'. The 400m freestyle against Ariarne Titmus, seeking to regain her world record and returning from a break after Tokyo, and the distance legend Katie Ledecky.

Despite swimming under the 4-minute barrier again, Summer's race didn't go to plan and she finished 4th. Falling short of her own expectations was a huge barrier to overcome for the rest of the meet. But proving what an incredible athlete she is, Summer bounced back and showed the world her true determination with blistering swims through the rest of the meet.

She set a new World Junior Record and Canadian Record in the 200m Freestyle, touching the wall in a time of 1:53.65 behind Australians Mollie O'Callahan and Ariarne Titmus to win Bronze. She blitz the field in the 200m Butterfly with a time of 2:04.06, a full second in front of Australia's Elizabeth Dekkers and 2.5 seconds clear of US's Regan Smith. Her time set a new World Junior Record and Canadian record.

Then saving the best for last, Summer fired in the 400m Individual Medley setting a new Championship record and winning another gold with a time of 4:27.11, the third fastest in history (her own world record time of 4:25.87 being one of the times that's faster!).

She capped the meet off by anchoring the women's medley relay team, winning bronze and qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

To finish the year, Summer became the first swimmer to win a 400m freestyle over Katie Ledecky in a US pool in 11 years, taking the title at the US Open in December.

What a year it has been for Summer and we cannot wait to see what 2024 has in store for this champion.