Summer McIntosh will swim in 4 individual events at World Aquatics Championships
CBC
Canadian swimming phenom Summer McIntosh's schedule at the World Aquatics Championships has now been confirmed by CBC Sports.
In an exclusive interview Thursday at Canada's staging camp in Toyota, Japan, coach Brent Arckey confirmed McIntosh will swim in four individual events. That includes the 400-metre freestyle, 400m individual medley, the 200m butterfly, and 200m freestyle.
McIntosh will also play a pivotal role in Canada's relay teams. What relays she swims in has yet to be determined.
"We're trying to manage the program so that she can be the best that she can be and also give her the opportunity to race against some of the best athletes in the world," Arckey, who coaches McIntosh in Sarasota, Fla., said.
"We've talked a lot about it and have to play with different things because the lineup is going to be different in Paris as well. We're just trying to make sure we get all the information we possibly can."
McIntosh is alongside 27 other Canadians at the Chukyo University Aquatic Centre preparing for worlds. The team has gathered at this location before heading to Fukuoka for the competition beginning July 23.
"Trying to land the plane now. It's details. Making sure we're rested and taking care of ourselves," Arckey said.
There has been a lot of speculation in the swimming world regarding McIntosh's schedule and if she would swim four or five individual events.
This means the 16-year-old from Toronto is dropping the 200m individual medley event – she's posted the fastest time in the world this year in this distance, setting a world junior record at national trials in late-March and early April in a time of two minutes and 6.89 seconds.
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With a jammed schedule that includes preliminary swims, semifinals, finals, and relays, the 200m IM was cut from McIntosh's program to allow her recovery time.
"This one is unique because you have the 400 free and 400 IM at the start and finish. That's the most challenging piece getting ready for two 400s eight days apart," Arckey said.
Interestingly, Arckey said swimming fans shouldn't read too much into what this might mean for the Paris Olympics next summer.
"I think what you should read from here is that it's all about the set up leading into Paris. It is different. The events fall on different days, the meet is one day longer and the relays fall on different spots. It's different and we'll take a different type of management," he said.
