It doesn’t mean much in the great Olympic scheme of things. But, oh yeah, it means a lot.
Top-drawer swimmers laying down their best times at the Pan Am Sports Centre — gauntlets flung — at the inaugural Canadian Open. Probably not the best-est. That’s likely held a bit in reserve for the Olympic trials, at the same venue next month, which will determine who gets their ticket punched for the Paris Games in July.
There was still a lot of thrashing going on in the pool, though, among Canada’s marquee natators Friday evening, including those already Olympics-knighted.
Most keenly anticipated was a head-to-head race between current It Girl of swimming, 17-year-old sensation Summer McIntosh, and Tokyo Games champion Maggie Mac Neil in the 100-metre butterfly.
They finished one-two, in fact, though possibly not in the order some had anticipated. It was McIntosh who, with a major oomph push down the final 10 metres or so, touched the wall first in a personal best time of 57.19, just a exhalation faster than Mac Neil at 57.24. Mary-Sophie Harvey finished third at 58.05.
What a heck of a week it’s been for McIntosh: first in the 100-metre freestyle, first in the 200 free, first in the 100 fly. And for some extra fizz, McIntosh, a two-time world champion in the 200 fly, posted the fastest time in the world this year in the 200 free on Wednesday: 1:54.21, which would have won gold at the world championship in Doha in February.
The teen is slick as an otter.
“For me, especially with fly, I always try to finish as strong as possible,’’ she explained afterward, still beaded with water drops. “Having a little bit of an adrenalin rush always helps. It all comes back to training for the 200 fly. I know I can finish the 100 pretty strong because, if I can finish the 200 strong, 100 will be quite a bit easier.
“But fly is definitely a race that, no matter how long the distance is, anything can change I’d say in the last 10 to 15 metres.’’
McIntosh is, in fact, more of a 200 and 400 star — she is also a two-world champion in the 400 individual medley — and might not compete in the 100 sprints at the Olympics. Don’t think it wasn’t an added thrill, however, beating Mac Neil, an Olympic sparkplug, in Mac Neil’s wheelhouse event, possibly the only individual even she’ll race in Paris. No matter how gracious McIntosh was in victory.
“I have so much respect for Maggie. I know her on quite a personal level. We’ve roomed together at the Olympics. She’s such a sweet and amazing girl. Anytime I get to race her it’s always an honour. It’s an amazing opportunity because I learn so much from her, being at the level that she is.’’
They had traded the top two spots back and forth at this meet — Maggie nipped Summer in the 100 backstroke on Day 1, and Summer beat her in the 100 free on Day 2 — but McIntosh posted the faster time in Friday morning’s heats.
“I might not be the most rested for this but I’m mentally as well-prepared as possible. There’s no excuses. You can race fast whenever you want. We train fast, we practise fast. I’m pretty happy so far.’’
No kidding.
Mac Neil, who stepped out of the pool into her street clothes and immediately got behind the wheel of a car to drive home to London, Ont., took it all in stride, like the veteran she is.
“Pretty good,’’ the 24-year-old shrugged of her performance. “Obviously there’s lots to work on. But around where I’ve been this year, so that’s fine. I didn’t get to rest for this, had a very busy week. Usually the 100 fly is first.’’
She’ll be heading back to Louisiana State University soon, so a night or two in her own bed at home was to be savoured before hitting the books. Her final exam is scheduled for four days before the Olympic trials.
Meanwhile, McIntosh — also southern-bound soon, back to her Sarasota Sharks swim club — was basking in the glow of her week’s accomplishments, enjoying time spent with family and, with some embarrassment, at the “It Girl’’ moniker.
“Ha, ha. I’m pretty flattered that people think that about me or say that. But I’m just really focused — tunnel vision — on the main goal. Which is Paris.’’
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