Fast Starts for Summer McIntosh and Simone Manuel at Tyr Pro Swim Series
Summer McIntosh and Simone Manuel began 2025 with strong performances at the Tyr Pro Swim Series. McIntosh set a new early season record in the 200m butterfly, while Manuel achieved her personal best in the 100m freestyle. Both athletes are focused on the upcoming World Championships and their respective goals for this season.
Summer McIntosh has made a remarkable start to 2025 by swimming the fastest 200m butterfly ever recorded this early in the year, achieving a time of 2 minutes, 4.00 seconds at the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Westmont, Illinois. The 18-year-old Canadian triumphed over Olympic teammate Regan Smith by a notable margin of 2.87 seconds. McIntosh has previously swum 2:03.03, the second-fastest time in history, during the 2024 Olympics, with the existing world record held by Liu Zige at 2:01.81 since 2009.
Following her impressive early season performance, McIntosh appears poised to challenge the world record at the upcoming World Championships in Singapore. In 2023, she recorded times of 2:05.05 and 2:04.06, while in 2024, she swam 2:05.73 and 2:04.33 before achieving her Olympic time. McIntosh announced her plan to compete in five individual events at the world championships, an increase from her four events at the Paris Olympics, where she secured three gold medals and one silver.
In her recent statement, McIntosh expressed a desire to explore new events while continuing to improve her performance in the 200m butterfly. “I’m still so young, and I have so many new events that I want to try out and see how much I can improve on along with sticking to things that I know as well with the 200m fly,” she said regarding her aspirations.
Simultaneously, seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Manuel achieved her own milestone by winning the 100m freestyle in 53.23 seconds, marking her best time before May. Manuel competed against notable peers including Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak, who finished fifth. Reflecting on her goals for 2025, Manuel stated, “My biggest goal is just having fun and taking the pressure off of myself.”
Additionally, Kate Douglass, the 200m breaststroke gold medalist from the 2024 Olympics, defeated 2016 gold medalist Lilly King in the 100m breaststroke. As the U.S. swimmers prepare for the upcoming national championships scheduled from June 3-7 in Indianapolis, anticipation builds for their team selection for the World Championships. The Westmont Pro Series will continue with finals airing live on Peacock.
In summary, both Summer McIntosh and Simone Manuel have initiated 2025 with outstanding performances, highlighting their readiness for upcoming competitions. McIntosh’s potential challenge for the world record in the 200m butterfly and Manuel’s focus on enjoying her swimming while alleviating pressure underscore their aspirations. As they prepare for the national championships, the excitement around their journeys and the upcoming World Championships grows.
Original Source: www.nbcsports.com
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