2026 Bell Canadian Swimming Trials

Women’s 200m Butterfly – Finals

World Record: 2:01.81 – Liu Zige, China (2009)
Canadian Record: 2:01.99 – Summer McIntosh (2025)
World Aquatics ‘A’ Standard: 2:09.21

Summer McIntosh – 2:01.65 *NEW WORLD RECORD/CANADIAN RECORD
Mary-Sophie Harvey – 2:10.58
Claire Watson – 2:12.58

In a performance that shook the swimming world, Summer McIntosh shattered the world record in the women’s 200-meter fly with a blazing time of 2:01.65 on night one of the 2026 Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal.

The oldest world record in women’s swimming at almost 17 years old, the 200 fly world record was the last remaining record from the super-suit era on the women’s side and just a few years ago seemed unbreakable.

McIntosh shaved .16 off of the previous world record time of 2:01.81, set by China’s Liu Zige back in 2009. McIntosh’s performance also broke her own Canadian record in the event, as she took .34 off of her lifetime best from the 2025 World Championships.

McIntosh dominated right from the start in Montreal, blasting ahead of the field to gain almost a body length’s lead by the 50-meter mark; she turned in 27.45 at the 50, over a second ahead of runner-up Mary-Sophie Harvey. McIntosh continued to extend her lead throughout the race, eventually getting her hands on the wall almost nine seconds ahead of Harvey.

Despite trailing Zige’s world record pace by nearly two-tenths at the halfway point, McIntosh pulled off a faster backhalf than the former record holder, chasing down the world record line and surpassing it to set a new standard.

Split Comparison

Zige – Old World Record
McIntosh – Old Personal Best
McIntosh – New World Record

50
27.19
27.22
27.45

100
58.08 (30.89)
58.41 (31.19)
58.21 (30.76)

150
1:30.20 (32.12)
1:30.00 (31.59)
1:29.73 (31.52)

200
2:01.81 (31.61)
2:01.99 (31.99)
2:01.65 (31.92)

McIntosh swam this race the only way she could – she needed to attack the third 50 and hold on for dear life against the World Record line in the closing. The polyurethane suits like the one Zige wore to set her World Record were theorized to give swimmers a big closing advantage, and that showed up in Zige’s swim.

In addition to breaking the world record and Canadian record in the event, McIntosh’s time also set a new Commonwealth record and Americas record in the 200 fly.

McIntosh now owns four LCM world records; the 19-year-old already held the title of fastest ever performer in the women’s 400 free, 200 IM and 400 IM. The 200 fly world record is perhaps the most infamous of them all, with her performance in the event further cementing her place in swimming history.