July 7 (Reuters) – Summer McIntosh, two days after taking down the last women’s ‘supersuit’ world record, has withdrawn from the remainder of Canada’s trials for the Pan Pacific Championships because of illness, Swimming Canada said on Tuesday.
The decision to withdraw from the trials in Montreal was made in consultation with McIntosh’s coach and Swimming Canada after she had posted the fastest time in the 400 metres freestyle heats earlier on Tuesday.
“I’m so sorry, but on the advice of my doctors and coach, I’ve made the difficult decision to scratch from my remaining events at the 2026 Canadian Trials,” said McIntosh, a three-time Olympic champion and eight-time world champion.
“I started feeling ill yesterday morning and, while I hoped I’d be able to keep racing, this is the right decision.”
McIntosh had wiped out the last “supersuit” world record in women’s swimming on Sunday with a victory in the 200 metres butterfly final when she touched the wall in two minutes 1.65 seconds, eclipsing Liu Zige’s long-standing record (2:01.81) at China’s National Games in October 2009.
The 19-year-old followed that by winning the 400 metres individual medley on Monday but finished nearly four seconds shy of her own world record.
McIntosh was originally scheduled to cap her trials on Wednesday by competing in the 200 individual medley, another event in which she already owns the world record.
“There is so much magic in this pool and I’m incredibly grateful I got to experience it,” said McIntosh.
“I’m so disappointed that I can’t continue racing in front of these amazing crowds but my focus now is on getting healthy so I can be ready to represent Canada at the Pan Pacific Championships.”
The championships run from August 12 to 15 in Irvine, California.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Clare Fallon)
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