FLASH! Budapest 2024, Day 5: Summer McIntosh Completes World Record Hat Trick in 400 IM; Katie Grimes Gets AR
Summer McIntosh is 3-for-3 at 2024 World Short-Course Championships, in gold medals and world records.
The Canadian wunderkind positively destroyed the world record in the women’s 400 individual medley Saturday at the Duna Arena in Budapest, winning in 4:15.48.
Second was Katie Grimes, lowering the American record to 4:20.14. Abbie Wood of Great Britain held off the field for bronze.
McIntosh has already won the 400 freestyle and 200 butterfly at this meet, both in world records, plus a relay medal. The world record was set in 2017 by Spain’s Mireia Belmonte at 4:18.94. McIntosh’s Canadian record in the event dates to the 2022 World Cup at 4:21.49. That was also the world junior record, which McIntosh blew out of the water.
About the only one still capable of being surprised by what Summer McIntosh can accomplish is Summer McIntosh. She said that a time in the 4:15s was “definitely not something that I would even wildly dream about.” But dreams seem to keep becoming reality around the teen superstar.
“I’m really just focusing on building my stroke (in fly), feeling how high I feel in the race,” she said. “Backstroke is all tempo, and then once I get to the breaststroke it’s laser focused tunnel vision. I’m just staying in my own lane. Honestly, it’s really easy to get caught up in the moment like, oh my god I might break the world record, I might break the world record.
“Just stay in the moment, take it stroke by stroke, and that’s how you can actually do the best race possible.”
Grimes’ consolation prize was a decisive American record. Her time of 4:20.14 gouged 4.01 seconds out of the American mark set in 2019 by Melanie Margalis at 4:24.15 in the International Swimming League. It’s Grimes’ third medal, to go with bronze in the 800 free and gold in the 800 free relay.
“I just wanted to do my best, because I can’t control what anybody else was doing in the pool,” Grimes said. “The heat was really great with the girls, so I knew it was going to be a challenge and it was so funny. I don’t swim 400 IM very often, so this is only my second or third time, so I’m really happy with the time and the medal.”
Wood has a second bronze of the meet, going 4:24.34 to augment her third-place in the 200 IM. She just missed out on the British record of 4:23.14 set in 2012 by Hannah Miley.
“I am very happy with the result,” Wood said. “Shocked again as I was in the 200. I have more confidence in myself that I can do these kind of times. I just enjoyed the race like I did in the 200 and rolled best times out of myself.”
Mary-Sophie Harvey was fourth in 4:26.09, followed by Erin Walshe of Ireland. Wood also grabbed bronze in the 200 IM, a final that also featured Harvey (fourth), Walshe (fifth) and Spain’s Emma Carrasco (seventh). Carrasco was eighth in the 400 IM.
Harvey has had an engrossing week in Budapest: Bronze in the 400 free behind McIntosh, bronze in the women’s 400 free relay, silver in the mixed 200 medley relay, plus a hat trick of fourth-place IM finishes.
Walshe started the day by finishing sixth in the women’s 100 fly in 55.68, .18 seconds slower than her new Irish record.
