Younger swimmers received an opportunity on Thursday night to fulfill Summer season McIntosh, Canada’s newly named high athlete of the yr, and the night didn’t disappoint.
The Etobicoke Swim Membership, the place McIntosh honed her abilities, held a meet and greet with the swimmer to have fun her success and the affect she has had on sport in Toronto. McIntosh first began swimming on the Etobicoke Olympium, an indoor pool in Centennial Park, when she was 10 and can be coaching there over the vacations, based on the membership.
McIntosh, 18, signed autographs and posed for images on the occasion. Individuals have been capable of contact the 4 Olympic medals — three golds and a silver — that she received on the Paris Olympic Video games.
“It means the world when the youngsters come as much as me and say that I’ve impressed them and I simply see the look of their eyes. It is so candy. And that is actually what retains me going. It is probably the greatest emotions on this planet and why I take pleasure in what I accomplish that a lot,” she stated.
“And to be again on the Olympium as nicely is so good as a result of that is actually the place I began off my swimming profession… It actually made me the swimmer I’m immediately.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was there and McIntosh signed her swimming cap.
McIntosh returned to Toronto this week after competing within the World Brief Course Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary, the place she completed the event with 5 medals and three world information, taking gold within the 400 freestyle, the 200 butterfly and the 400 particular person medley.
Along with successful silver within the girls’s 200-metre backstroke, she helped Canada’s girls’s 4×100 freestyle relay staff to bronze.
World Aquatics named her its feminine athlete of the yr following the medal displays in Budapest. She additionally lately received the 2024 Northern Star Award, Canada’s high athlete, skilled or newbie, after a dominant efficiency on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
‘A quick swimmer is a contented swimmer,’ McIntosh says
“I can dream as huge as I wish to, however you are at all times attempting to maintain bettering — get higher is at all times the primary one — however I imply, final yr, I positively achieved most of them, I might say,” McIntosh stated.
McIntosh’s younger followers lined up for an opportunity to speak to her. She stated her message to her younger followers is at all times: “Maintain working arduous and benefit from the course of.”
She added: “I feel a quick swimmer is a contented swimmer. That’s one thing I at all times attempt to inform the youthful children.”
Lauren Strevel, a teen swimmer who attended the occasion, stated it is “actually inspirational” to fulfill McIntosh and to see what she has achieved. Understanding that McIntosh is doing the identical coaching that Strevel and her pals are doing now’s an inspiration, she stated.
“It is actually cool as a result of she grew up right here. She grew up coaching with us,” Strevel stated.
McIntosh’s connection to the Etobicoke Swim Membership goes past her time within the lanes. Her mom, Olympian Jill Horstead, additionally educated there.
“Eswim has at all times been a world class membership,” Horstead stated.
“I imply, it is most likely probably the greatest golf equipment on this planet, to be trustworthy, and you recognize, it is raised many Olympians, many Olympic medalists, so I imply it is important. It is important for the group and it is an enormous stepping stone.”
Marc Spackman, head coach and director on the Etobicoke Swim Membership, also referred to as Eswim, stated assembly McIntosh is a good alternative for younger swimmers. An Eswim alumni, McIntosh has an “undefeatable” mindset, he stated.
“She units a terrific instance, she’s tremendous skilled about how she goes about issues, and it is actually thrilling for the younger children to see her swim.”
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