After clinching three individual gold medals in swimming at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and four golds at the previous year’s world championships in Singapore, Summer McIntosh is eyeing an even bigger goal at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The Canadian athlete aims to secure five solo gold medals, matching the single-Games record set by Michael Phelps in 2008 in Beijing.
During a recent flight to southern California, McIntosh was filled with excitement as she glimpsed SoFi Stadium, which will be transformed into the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, accommodating around 38,000 spectators. The 19-year-old from Toronto expressed her enthusiasm, envisioning her future achievements at the prestigious venue.
This week, McIntosh’s journey towards success in Los Angeles leads her to Irvine, California, for the Pan Pacific championships. The Pan Pacs, held every four years, serve as a counterpart to the European championships, with top swimming nations such as Australia, the United States, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, China, and Canada participating.
The 2026 Pan Pacific championships commenced with open-water events along the Pacific coast in Long Beach, where Canadian Olympian Emma Finlin finished 13th in the women’s race. The main events will kick off in Irvine, where McIntosh will spearhead a team of 42 Canadian swimmers over a four-day competition.
Notable athletes joining McIntosh include Taylor Ruck, who dominated at the Canadian trials, breaststroke specialists Sophie Angus and Oliver Dawson, and Lorne Wingginton, a standout in the men’s 400m individual medley at the Commonwealth Games. Notably, Kylie Masse and Josh Liendo, Canada’s sole swimming gold medallists at the Commonwealths, are not part of the Pan Pacs roster.
McIntosh is set to compete in four events at the Pan Pacs, starting with the 200m freestyle, followed by the 400m individual medley, the 400m freestyle, and the 200m individual medley on successive days. Despite foregoing the 800m freestyle and the 200m butterfly, events where she has excelled, McIntosh aims to excel in her chosen races, coached by the legendary Bob Bowman.
The Pan Pacs will feature intense competitions, including McIntosh facing off against American star Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle. Other international swimmers to watch include Australia’s Lanni Pallister and the United States’ top talents like Bobby Finke, Kate Douglass, and Gretchen Walsh. Viewers can catch all the action live on the CBC Gem streaming app and CBC Sports website, with morning heats starting at 1 p.m. ET and finals at 10 p.m. ET daily.
