Summer McIntosh Clocks Second-Fastest 200m Butterfly in History

Summer McIntosh Nearly Breaks 200m Butterfly World Record

Teenage swim sensation Summer McIntosh delivered another stunning performance at the Canadian Swimming Trials on Tuesday, coming within 0.45 seconds of the world record in the 200m butterfly, set in 2009 by China’s Liu Zige.

Clocking 2:02.26, the 18-year-old Canadian now holds the second-fastest time in history for the event, edging closer to what was long considered one of swimming’s most unreachable records.

McIntosh’s Record-Breaking Week Continues

McIntosh has already shattered world records in both the 400m freestyle and the 200m individual medley (IM) earlier this week, making this one of the most dominant performances ever seen at a national trials event.

“I actually rate this race higher than my other ones,” McIntosh told Olympics.com. “This world record is the hardest one to get, in my personal opinion.”

Despite narrowly missing the mark, McIntosh outpaced her nearest competitor by more than seven seconds, underlining her dominance in the pool.

A Historic Benchmark

Liu Zige’s record of 2:01.81, set in the era of now-banned “super suits,” had remained untouched for 15 years. McIntosh came within a fingertip of breaking it, with her 150m split time slightly ahead of Zige’s pace before fading slightly on the final leg.

“The fact that I’m knocking on the door of that world record is really, really encouraging,” she added. “It’s a great benchmark. Great motivation.”

Trials and Road to the World Championships

These Canadian Swimming Trials serve as qualifiers for the upcoming 2025 World Aquatics Championships. McIntosh is also slated to compete in the 400m individual medley, another event where she already holds the world record.

So far, she’s also registered the third-fastest 800m freestyle in history during these trials, cementing her position as one of the sport’s brightest stars.