CBC Sports reporters Devin Heroux and Brittany MacLean recap the highlights from Day 3 of the short course world championships and share insights on what fans can expect on Day 4.
Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh has achieved a remarkable milestone at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in Budapest, clinching her second world record and gold medal this week. She shattered the 200-meter butterfly record, finishing in 1:59.32, surpassing the 2014 record of 1:59.61 set by Mireia Belmonte Garcia. McIntosh’s stellar performance edged out Regan Smith of the U.S. (2:01.00) and Australian Elizabeth Dekkers (2:02.91).
This achievement follows her earlier record-breaking feat in the 400-meter freestyle, where she clocked an impressive 3:50.25, securing her first individual short-course world title. Reflecting on her triumphs, McIntosh shared her excitement about breaking the two-minute barrier and her plans to celebrate with loved ones. Her hard work, sharpened by rigorous training in Florida, continues to pay off, as she now boasts 14 medals across short and long-course world championships.
The 17-year-old Canadian athlete, who recently received the Northern Star Award for Canada’s Athlete of the Year, expressed her commitment to pushing her limits further. "This success motivates me to keep improving," McIntosh said, brimming with enthusiasm about her future in the sport.
Meanwhile, Montreal's Ilya Kharun made his mark by setting a championship record in the men's 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:48.24. This victory marks his first individual world title, beating Italy’s Alberto Razzetti (1:48.64) and Poland’s Krzysztof Chmielewski (1:49.26). Kharun, who won silver in the men’s 50-meter butterfly earlier, described his victory as “surreal” and a culmination of his efforts following his third-place finish at the Paris Olympics.
Canada's strong presence in the championship continues with a total of nine medals—three gold, two silver, and four bronze—ranking second behind the U.S. Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm, poised for her fourth medal, will compete in the women’s 50-meter backstroke final, alongside LaSalle’s Kylie Masse. Wilm’s journey has already earned her bronze and silver in relay events, along with a personal best of 25.81 seconds.
In other events, Mary-Sophie Harvey and Sydney Pickrem advanced to the women’s 100-meter medley final. Harvey set a new national record of 57.19, surpassing the 2018 mark, while Pickrem secured the eighth qualifying spot with a time of 58.47. Both swimmers expressed excitement about their achievements and readiness for the finals.
Canada’s Finlay Knox narrowly missed the men’s 50-meter backstroke final but celebrated setting his second national record of the week. These inspiring performances highlight Canada’s growing prowess in the pool, particularly in butterfly events, as CBC analyst Brittany MacLean aptly put it: “We are a butterfly nation.”
