Ariarne Titmus' 400m world record broken by 16-year-old Summer McIntosh

Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh has left the swimming community stunned after breaking Aussie sensation Ariarne Titmus' 400m freestyle world record in Toronto. The 16-year-old phenom has been on the rise in recent years after smashing a number of junior world records, before winning the 400m medley at the Commonwealth Games.

And McIntosh left viewers in absolute awe on Tuesday after breaking Titmus' 400m world record with a time of 3:56.08 at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. The remarkable time at the Canadian Swimming Trials surpassed the Australian's record of 3:56.40.

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Following the race, the 16-year-old burst into tears as she realised her phenomenal feat, which only sees her superstardom rise. "I'm not a crier but this world record, I didn't think this was possible tonight," McIntosh told CBC Sports.

"It's absolutely incredible. I'm not an emotional person. But I was hit with so much emotion. Pure euphoria right now.

"Over the past few years I've put my life into this. To be the best I can be. To achieve something like this, it was very unexpected. It was never in my dreams to do this tonight or even a few years ago. This just blows my mind."

McIntosh's head coach, Brent Arckey, was thrilled and claimed it was "one of the best races I've ever seen". He told CBC Sports: "I'm not really sure what to say right now. I'm trying to hold it all in. But celebrating her. This is a special thing."

Canadian Olympic swimmer Brittany Maclean said: “I’m stunned. There are no words. I can’t fathom it.”

Swimming fans were left utterly gobsmacked at McIntosh's achievement, with CBC News reporter Devin Heroux claiming the young prodigy is in a 'league of her own'. “What an extraordinary evening here as Summer McIntosh sets the world record in the 400m freestyle,” he wrote on Twitter. “She’s incredible. Special Canadian sporting moment. I have goosebumps.”

Summer McIntosh's rise to the top of swimming

McIntosh's rise up the ranks has been nothing short of incredible. The teenager made her name at last year's world championships having won the 200m butterfly with a Canadian record and junior world record of 2:05.20 in the final.

Last year, at just 15 years old, McIntosh pushed Titmus all the way in the Commonwealth Games 400m final to finish second behind the Olympic champion. She went on to win a gold medal in the 400m individual medley with the third fastest time ever in the event.

In March, McIntosh ended the nine-year streak of American legend Katie Ledecky to beat her in the 200m freestyle at a Pro Series swim meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ledecky hadn't lost a domestic freestyle final of 200m or more since 2014. McIntosh became the ninth-fastest woman in history in the 200m freestyle after the swim.

Ledecky won gold in the 400m, 800m and 1500m freeysyle at the Pro Series swim, while McIntosh won the 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley. She also finished second to Ledecky in the 400m freestyle.

The women's freestyle events at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 are sure to be some of the most antipicated showdowns in recent memory. Ledecky, 400m Olympic champ Titmus and rising prodigy McIntosh will all be looking to cement their legacies with the world watching.

with AAP

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