Paris 2024 an Olympic Games for the history books for Canadian swimming
That was fun, wasn’t it?
After nine days of swimming competition inside an electric Paris La Défense Arena, Team Canada is leaving with an impressive eight medals, matching the second highest total they’ve ever won in swimming at an Olympic Games. Half of those medals are going home with Summer McIntosh, whose breakout performance at Paris 2024 will be talked about for years to come.
McIntosh’s haul was just one of the many memorable moments in the pool for Canada at Paris 2024.
A Golden Summer Games
If Canadians didn’t know who Summer McIntosh was before the Games, they certainly do now.
The 17-year-old leaves Paris with three gold medals and a silver. She became the first Canadian athlete to win three gold medals in one Olympic Games and matched teammate Penny Oleksiak for the most medals won by a Canadian athlete at one summer Games.
McIntosh won silver in the women’s 400m freestyle on Day 1 of competition before later winning golds in the 400m IM, 200m butterfly and 200m IM. Her individual medley victories were two of the most memorable in Paris, with the 400m being won in dominant fashion and the 200m featuring a comeback in the final 50 metres.
“I remember watching the 2016 Olympics and just being inspired from everyone on Team Canada, but growing up since the age of seven or eight, it’s always been a dream of mine to make an Olympic team and to now have medals to my name is pretty incredible,” McIntosh said after claiming her fourth.
Before Paris, McIntosh was already known as one of the best swimmers in the world. She cemented that status during these Games.
READ: McIntosh completes gold medal hat trick in the pool at Paris 2024
Records Scratched
Speaking of McIntosh’s accomplishments, she set two Olympic records in Paris. In the 200m butterfly, her time 2:03.03 beat the previous record of 2:03.86. That record was set in Tokyo by China’s Zhang Yufei – who finished third in this year’s event.
McIntosh also set a new Olympic record in the 200m IM with a time of 2:06.56. She beat the previous mark of 2:06.58 which was set by Hungary’s Katinka Hosszú at Rio 2016.
Two Canadian records were also set in Paris. Josh Liendo‘s time of 49.99 set a new national mark in the 100m butterfly while Ilya Kharun‘s time of 1:52.80 in the 200m butterfly is also a Canadian best.
“Back” On The Podium
It just wouldn’t be an Olympic Games without Kylie Masse winning a medal.
After coming up just short of the podium in the 100m backstroke, Masse captured a bronze in the 200m event, securing a medal for a third straight Olympic Games.
“It means a lot,” said Masse after the race. “I was a little bit disappointed after my 100 – it stings a bit being just off the podium. I knew tonight’s race was going to be difficult, and I knew I was going to have to fight to the very end. Those final metres were fighting, for sure. I’m really pleased to be on the podium. I wanted to come in tonight and enjoy myself, before the race. Let myself swim.”
The 28-year-old has now won five Olympic medals over three Games: silvers in the 100m and 200m backstroke; bronzes in the 100m and 200m backstroke; and a bronze in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.
READ: Masse carries on consistency, capturing fifth Olympic medal
Men Make A Statement
Heading into the Games, no Canadian man had won an Olympic swimming medal since London 2012. That changed in a big way in Paris with the Canadian men winning three medals.
Kharun, a 19-year-old competing in his first Olympic Games, ended the drought when he won bronze in the 200m butterfly with a time of 1:52.80. In that race, France’s Leon Marchand – who was a teammate of Kharun’s at Arizona State – won gold while Hungary’s Kristóf Milák, the world record holder in the event, won silver.
Kharun then earned his second bronze medal in Paris in the 100m butterfly, a race that saw Canadian teammate Josh Liendo win silver. No Canadian man had won a medal in the men’s 100m butterfly since Bruce Robertson won silver at Munich 1972.
“I think that’s a huge momentum shift on the men’s side,” said Liendo. “I mean, it’s just exciting. I think it’s definitely made a big statement there.”
Two Is Better Than One
Liendo and Kharun both winning medals in the 100m butterfly was a historic moment not only for Canada’s swimming program, but for Team Canada as a whole. It was Canada’s first double podium at an Olympic Summer Games since Montreal 1976.
The secret to landing on the podium together? Manifesting, perhaps.
“Me and Josh, a couple days ago, spoke about how crazy it would be [if] me and him both got on the podium,” said Kharun. “I’m so glad we spoke it into existence. It’s such a great feeling.”
READ: Liendo, Kharun make Canadian history with double podium finish in men’s 100m butterfly
More History For Liendo
Part of the magic of the Olympic Games is knowing that the next generation is being inspired by what they’re watching. There’s no doubt Liendo inspired a lot of Canadians – and even non-Canadians – in Paris.
At the 2021 World Swimming Championships (25m), Liendo became the first Black Canadian swimmer to win a gold medal and an individual medal at a major international championship. He helped Canada win the mixed 4 x 50m freestyle relay and won bronze in the 50m and 100m freestyle events at the short course meet.
With his silver medal win the 100m butterfly in Paris, Liendo became the first Black Canadian to win an Olympic swimming medal.
“It’s awesome, right? It’s a huge milestone, and it’s something that I don’t take lightly. Definitely a lot of pride to be able to get that, and it’s just a surreal moment.”
Given how inspiring the Olympic Games can be, he likely won’t be the last.
Relay Heartbreak
Despite all the individual success in the pool for Team Canada, it just wasn’t meant to be for the relay teams.
On the women’s side, Canada finished fourth in the 4x100m freestyle relay, finished fourth in the 4x200m freestyle relay and, yes, finished fourth in the 4x100m medley relay. That’s tough. The medley relay was likely the most painful of the three, with Canada in medal position until the home stretch.
READ: Historic Games conclude for Team Canada in the swimming pool at Paris 2024
The Canadian men’s best relay finish came in the 4x100m medley relay, where they finished fifth and came close to a Canadian record time.
Canada also finished fifth in the mixed 4x100m medley relay, which they also came close to touching the Canadian record in.
Welcome To The Show
A number of Canadians made their Olympic debuts in individual events.
Along with medallist Ilya Kharun, Tristan Jankovics (men’s 400m IM), Sophie Angus (women’s 100m breaststroke), Blake Tierney (men’s 100m and 200m backstroke), Ella Jansen (women’s 400m IM), Ingrid Wilm (women’s 100m backstroke) and Regan Rathwell (women’s 200m backstroke) all made their first Olympic appearances.
A number of other first-time Olympians competed in relay events throughout the competition, most notably 32-year-old Jeremy Bagshaw, who made Team Canada’s Olympic swimming squad in his fifth attempt. Alex Axon, Julie Brousseau, Brooklyn Douthwright, Apollo Hess, Patrick Hussey, Emma O’Croinin and Lorne Wigginton also swam relays in their first trip to the Games.
Look Ahead To LA
It’s hard not to look ahead to Los Angeles 2028 and think… is the best yet to come?
Three of Canada’s four individual medal winners were aged 21 or younger: Summer McIntosh is 17, Ilya Kharun is 19 and Josh Liendo is 21. What could those three look like with four more years of training under them? Beyond that trio, who else might rise up the international ranks between now and Los Angeles?
Canada won six medals in the pool in both Rio and Tokyo, a total they beat in Paris. And let’s not forget: Canada’s best ever swimming medal haul was 10, which just so happened to come in 1984, the last time the Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles.
There are plenty of reasons for optimism and excitement surrounding Canada swimmers heading into the next Games.