An undisclosed health condition has compelled Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh to pull out from all three legs of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, including the final event in Toronto. The 19-year-old was absent from the first competition in Indianapolis and has confirmed that she will not participate in the upcoming meets in Westmont, Ill., near Chicago from October 17-19, and in Toronto at the Pan Am Sports Centre from October 23-25.
McIntosh expressed her disappointment through a representative for not being able to showcase her skills in front of her local supporters. Due to her inability to train, she is currently prioritizing rest and recovery to make a strong comeback to the pool.
This was supposed to mark McIntosh’s debut in international competitions under the mentorship of coach Bob Bowman, renowned for guiding American swimming legend Michael Phelps to 23 Olympic gold medals. McIntosh relocated to Austin, Texas, to train with Bowman at the end of August.
The World Cup series, hosting top-notch swimmers including Olympic and world champions, offers a total prize pool of $1.2 million, with $10,000 awarded for breaking world records.
McIntosh was among the few Canadian swimmers who had registered for at least one event in the World Cup. Other Canadian participants include Josh Liendo, Kylie Masse, Mary-Sophie Harvey, and Ilya Kharun. Kharun has already clinched consecutive gold medals at the start of the tour, triumphing in the 200m butterfly on Saturday and the 50m butterfly on Sunday.
Notable international swimmers in attendance include Leon Marchand, Noe Ponti, Mollie O’Callaghan, Regan Smith, Thomas Ceccon, and Kaylee McKeown.
