Summer McIntosh left little doubt about her fitness following the short course season on Thursday (15 January), storming away from the pack to win the women’s 200m individual in a time of 2:08.48 at the 2026 Pro Swim Series Austin.
The Canadian swimming phenom wasted little time establishing herself as the woman to beat, taking the lead in the first 50 metres and never relinquishing it once in the following three lengths.
She touched the wall more than five seconds ahead of France’s Cyrielle Duhamel, who clocked 2:13.73 to finish second. The United States of America’s Teagan O’Dell claimed third, reaching the wall in a time of 2:14.06.
It was a steady swim for McIntosh, who first began training under Michael Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman last season. Since then, she’s set three long course world records and won four gold medals at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.
But the decorated Canadian wasn’t the only Bowman acolyte in action on Thursday, as four-time Olympic champion Léon Marchand took to the water in the men’s 200m individual medley final.
There was certainly a sense of déjà vu at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, as Marchand sprang into the lead after the first length, capitalizing on a strong butterfly leg.
He remained in control for much of the race, giving back a tiny amount of time in the freestyle leg to collegiate teammate Carson Foster, before touching the wall in a time of 1:57.65. Foster followed in a time of 1:58.96, with Team USA’s Kieran Smith clocking 1:59.86 to take third.
It was rather a modest time for Marchand, who holds the world record in the men’s 200m individual medley. Both he and McIntosh swam an additional race on Thursday, with neither topping the podium.
Marchand finished runner-up to fellow Frenchman Yohann Ndoye-Brouard (1:56.68) in the men’s 200m backstroke, while McIntosh played second fiddle to Team USA’s Regan Smith (56.18) in the women’s 100m butterfly.
International talent featured prominently on Thursday as well, with France’s Maxime Grousset (50.95) winning the men’s 100m butterfly final and Serbia’s Andrej Barna (21.77) claiming top honours in the men’s 50m freestyle.
Katie Ledecky also returned to action in the women’s 400m freestyle, topping the podium in a time of 4:00.54. Simone Manuel gave the home crowd another reason to celebrate, clocking 24.79 seconds to win the women’s 50m freestyle.
Action continues on Friday (15 January), with finals in the 50m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, 400m individual medley and men’s 800m freestyle scheduled to take place at the 2026 Pro Swim Series Austin.