Summer McIntosh erases last women's supersuit world record with 2:01.65 in 200m butterfly
The 19-year-old Canadian clocked 2:01.65 at the Pan Pacific trials, erasing Liu Zige's 2009 mark of 2:01.81, the final women's world record set in the polyurethane suit era.
The record swim
Summer McIntosh shattered the longest-standing individual women's world record on Sunday night, finishing the 200-metre butterfly in 2 minutes 1.65 seconds at the Canadian trials in Montreal. The time eclipsed Liu Zige's 2:01.81, set in October 2009 during the polyurethane supersuit era, a mark that had stood for nearly 17 years. McIntosh slammed her fists into the water in celebration as the home crowd erupted inside the Olympic pool.
As you can see my emotions, this means the absolute world.
The last supersuit mark
Liu's record was established months before full-body polyurethane suits were banned from global competition and was widely considered one of the hardest records to break. McIntosh had been chipping away, becoming the second woman ever under 2:02.00 at last year's world championships with a 2:01.99, just 0.18 seconds off the mark. She now owns five of the six fastest times in the event's history.
- Liu Zige sets record at 2:01.81 in polyurethane suit at China's National Games.
- McIntosh clocks 2:01.99 at world championships, 0.18 seconds shy of the record.
- McIntosh breaks record with 2:01.65 at Canadian trials in Montreal.
A rising career
McIntosh already held world records in the 200 and 400 metres individual medley and the 400 metres freestyle, all set at last year's Canadian trials. She has three Olympic gold medals from the 2024 Paris Games and eight world championship titles since 2022, including three in the 200 butterfly. The race was the first opportunity for many Canadian fans to see her compete since her high-profile move to train in Austin, Texas, under Bob Bowman, the coach who guided Michael Phelps to 23 Olympic golds.
Growing up, this is the one world record I thought I would never break and to do it tonight is really special in front of a home crowd. It means the absolute world and I'm in shock right now.
What's next
McIntosh will have immediate chances to raise the bar again, starting with the 400 IM on Monday, followed by the 400 freestyle on Tuesday and the 200 IM on Wednesday. The trials serve as preparation for the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.
