Canadian swimming celebrity Summer season McIntosh has determined to make a training change to assist in her pursuit of 5 gold medals on the subsequent Olympics.
In an unique interview with CBC Sports activities, the 18-year-old from Toronto mentioned this will probably be her final season coaching on the Sarasota Sharks facility with coach Brent Arckey, who helped her win three gold medals and one silver on the Paris Olympics final summer season.
And he or she’s eyeing Bob Bowman, who coached American Michael Phelps to a report 23 Olympic gold medals — together with eight on the 2008 Beijing Olympics — to assist her. Bowman has a lot of expertise in serving to a swimmer with a multi-event program, most lately this previous Olympics when Frenchman Leon Marchand received 4 gold medals.
“Bob teaching the best of all time — swimmer Michael Phelps — having the ability to do all these occasions is unquestionably an attraction,” McIntosh mentioned. “As I transfer ahead to my profession, I nonetheless need to proceed to develop different occasions.
“Simply to mirror on the previous nearly three years I have been in Sarasota, I’ve grown a lot as an individual and a swimmer. Coach Brent actually pushed me to be the perfect swimmer I could possibly be. I’ll eternally cherish my years right here. It has been an ideal run.”
McIntosh will proceed coaching with Arckey as she prepares for the world championships in Singapore on the finish of July, and Arckey is predicted to be on website as a part of the Canadian teaching workforce.
McIntosh expects to go to the College of Texas in early March, the place Bowman leads the swim program and likewise runs an expert program. She mentioned she’s not serious about becoming a member of an NCAA program, however due to strict NCAA recruitment pointers Bowman can not touch upon McIntosh.
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The Toronto native and three-time Olympic champion will go away her Sarasota, Fla., coaching base following this summer season’s world championship. Amongst her future choices could possibly be becoming a member of American coach Bob Bowman, former coach of Michael Phelps, in Texas.
“I am determining a professional workforce that I might be a part of,” McIntosh mentioned. “The NCAA is a superb choice however for me personally, I believe a professional workforce makes extra sense as a result of it has much more flexibility and it is much more particular person.”
“Clearly I am brainstorming concepts on the place I needs to be going to not simply proceed as a swimmer, but additionally develop as a human being and the place is perhaps a superb place for me,” McIntosh mentioned.
Bowman served as a coach on the U.S. Olympic workforce from 2004-2016, and was head coach at Arizona State College from 2015 to 2024. The 59-year-old moved to U of Texas final yr and leads what’s extensively considered the highest coaching group on this planet, together with Marchand, and Regan Smith and Simone Manuel of the U.S.
Arckey mentioned he cannot consider many coaches or locations on this planet that will swimsuit McIntosh higher than Bowman and the College of Texas.
“If you’ll find me a greater place then I am all ears,” he mentioned. “It is an ideal alternative. I have been supportive of this all the time. I need to ensure she’s going someplace the place she’s going to get higher and unfold her wings. It is solely a mirrored image on us.
“I’ve had the chance to work with Bob and I’ve nothing however respect for Bob. When Summer season began speaking about all of this, this was definitely one of many choices that we threw on the market.”
Below Arckey, McIntosh has racked up world data, numerous world championship titles and her 4 Olympic medals. No Canadian athlete had ever received three gold medals at a single Video games previous to McIntosh in Paris. She was named Canada’s athlete of the yr for 2024 and was additionally named Feminine Swimmer of the 12 months by World Aquatics.
“Because the second I stepped on deck simply as a customer, I knew coach Brent believed in me. Once I first moved right here I by no means thought I would be leaving with all of the medals and the data and all of the stuff that we have achieved,” she mentioned.
Arckey mentioned the choice comes with blended feelings however that he is grateful for all of the experiences the 2 have had and the reminiscences they’ve created.
“I am happy with her. I am happy with what we have executed. Clearly I will be unhappy to see her go, however on the identical time a part of what I do as a developmental coach is to encourage these youngsters to get out of the nest,” he mentioned.
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The Toronto native’s domination of the swimming world is exhibiting no indicators of letting up, breaking data one after one other. As McIntosh prepares to compete in Singapore this summer season, CBC Sports activities’ Brittany MacLean dives into her unprecedented journey, in addition to what’s subsequent for this Canadian icon.
“When Summer season got here down right here I mentioned, Canada, we’ll handle her as a result of I knew how nice she could possibly be and the way necessary she is to the nation. Summer season is a particular, particular child.”
John Atkinson, Swimming Canada’s high-performance director, mentioned Arckey performed an instrumental function in McIntosh’s success.
“Brent was open to attempting various things, totally different camps, totally different occasions, however did not overload her. It will have been fairly simple so as to add two extra occasions this final yr,” Atkinson mentioned. “The coach is an enormous a part of that with each athlete. He is executed a terrific job working along with her.”
McIntosh mentioned she will probably be including a fifth occasion to her program on the upcoming world championships this summer season – and for the 2028 Olympics. The 4 staples in her program have been the 200-metre butterfly, 200m particular person medley, 400m freestyle and 400m particular person medley, during which she holds the world report. She simply broke the Canadian and Commonwealth data within the 800m freestyle with a time that will have received gold on the Paris Olympics this previous summer season.
WATCH | McIntosh displays on quick course worlds as ‘among the finest meets of my life’:
Toronto’s Summer season McIntosh captured the silver medal within the 200-metre backstroke setting a brand new Canadian report time of 1:59.96 in Budapest.
McIntosh competed within the 200m backstroke on the quick course world championships in Budapest this previous December, successful silver.
The 800m free and 200m again haven’t featured as common occasions in her program and he or she is not ready to say whether or not it is going to be the 800m free or 200m backstroke that will probably be a part of her program at worlds this summer season.
“I positively need to be doing 5 particular person occasions. What that appears like, I do not know precisely but,” she mentioned.
“Summer season can do no matter she desires within the sport. She’s received the items to do this. She trains and works actually laborious. It is as much as her on what she desires to do,” Arckey mentioned.
And he or she desires to rack up gold medals on the L.A. Video games in three years.
“I believe simply getting my hand on the wall first and as many golds as potential is at all times the aim for me. Backside line is win in any respect prices and no matter that takes,” McIntosh mentioned. “Going into Paris, that was my aim. I fell a bit in need of that however total I am so proud of it.
“I believe getting my first Olympic medal and it being silver, having what that felt like actually motivated me to not get any extra all through the meet.”
Arckey mentioned whereas all of the data and gold medals have been outstanding, it is how Summer season’s developed in life that makes him most proud.
“I keep in mind the braces,” Arckey mentioned, with amusing. “She’s gotten stronger and he or she’s grown into an superior younger lady. That is how I’ll keep in mind all this. And that is what I hope for anyone that comes via right here.”
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