Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh, who clinched three individual gold medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and matched a women’s record with four golds at the previous year’s world championships in Singapore, now aims for an even grander achievement at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
McIntosh aspires to secure five individual gold medals at the upcoming Olympics, a feat only accomplished by the legendary Michael Phelps during the 2008 Beijing Games. Envisioning her success, the 19-year-old talent from Toronto felt inspired as she flew over SoFi Stadium in southern California, the colossal venue that will transform into the largest swimming arena in Olympic history, accommodating around 38,000 spectators.
This week, McIntosh’s journey to glory in Los Angeles leads her to Irvine, California, for the Pan Pacific championships. The Pan Pacs, held every four years, serve as the global counterpart to the European championships, coinciding with the ongoing event in Paris. Notable contenders at the Pan Pacs include swimming powerhouses like Australia, the United States, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, China, and Canada.
The competition, commencing with the open-water events in Long Beach, features top swimmers like 2024 Olympian Emma Finlin, who represented Canada with a 13th place finish in the women’s race. McIntosh headlines the Canadian squad of 42 athletes set to compete over four days in Irvine. Among them are Taylor Ruck, Sophie Angus, Oliver Dawson, and Lorne Wingginton, all showcasing their prowess following recent successes in various swimming competitions.
McIntosh, under the guidance of renowned coach Bob Bowman, will compete in four events at the 2026 Pan Pacs, starting with the 200m freestyle and concluding with the 200m individual medley. Notably, she opted out of the 800m freestyle and the 200m butterfly to focus on events aligning with her training schedule and potential future pursuits in Los Angeles.
With McIntosh’s dominance in the pool evident through her world records and past victories, all eyes are on her intense showdowns with international stars like Katie Ledecky and Lanni Pallister. The Pan Pacs promise thrilling matchups and fierce competition as top swimmers from various countries vie for victory in the prestigious event.
To catch all the exhilarating races at the Pan Pacs live, viewers can tune in to the CBC Gem streaming app and the CBC Sports website, with morning heats starting at 1 p.m. ET and finals at 10 p.m. ET daily.