Summer McIntosh wins 400m IM gold at Paris 2024

Summer McIntosh has won her second medal of Paris 2024, taking gold in the women’s 400m individual medley.

She absolutely dominated the final, winning in 4:27.71, which was 5.69 seconds faster than the runner-up, Katie Grimes of the United States. Another American, Emma Weyant took the bronze.

The story of the race was McIntosh building an ever increasing lead as she switched from stroke to stroke, becoming uncatchable.

The first leg was 100 metres of butterfly, which is one of her best strokes, as evidenced by her two world titles in the 200m butterfly. She had soon opened up a body length lead on Grimes and had a lead of 1.22 seconds as they turned into the backstroke.

McIntosh kept motoring, extending her gap on the field. That gap only got bigger through the breaststroke leg, as she opened a three body length lead on Grimes heading into the final freestyle leg. There was absolutely no question the win would be hers, the only thing left to see was by how much.

When McIntosh touched the wall and turned to look at her time, her face was full of delight as she pumped her fist in the air.

McIntosh was the heavy favourite coming into the final on Day 3, having set the world record at the Canadian Olympic Trials in mid-May. She is also a two-time world champion in the 400m IM, earning back-to-back gold medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Aquatics Championships.

McIntosh won silver in the 400m freestyle on Day 1 of Paris 2024 for her first career Olympic medal. This is Canada’s fourth Olympic medal all-time in the women’s 400m IM. The last came at Montreal 1976 where Cheryl Gibson and Becky Smith won silver and bronze, respectively.