The action soon began with Canadian Summer McIntosh training under Bob Bowman.
McIntosh, a three-time 2024 Olympic gold medalist and four-time 2025 world champion, swam the second-fastest 400 freestyle in history in her first final since moving to the University of Texas to train with Bowman’s star-studded team.
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McIntosh clocked 3 minutes, 55.37 seconds at the Toyota U.S. Open, which happens to be held in Austin this year. The only faster time was McIntosh’s world record of 3 minutes, 54.18 seconds set in June.
“This is my first game of the season and my first game under Bob, so I’m really excited about it,” McIntosh said on Peacock. “This is definitely my fastest time of the season, so I’m excited for what I can do over the next few months.”
U.S. Open: full results | Broadcast schedule
McIntosh announced before last summer’s world championships that she would move to Texas after the world championships to train under Bowman’s guidance. Bowman was the career coach of Michael Phelps, who, like McIntosh, swam the 200m and 400m individual medley and the 200m butterfly.
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Then at the World Championships in Singapore, 18-year-old McIntosh became the second female swimmer to win four individual gold medals at a single World Championships, following Katie Ledecky (also 18) in 2015.
McIntosh’s goal is to win five gold medals at worlds. She won bronze in the 800m freestyle in Singapore behind Ledecky and Australian Rani Pallister.
The Toronto native then packed his bags and headed to Texas. She joins a training group that includes the world’s top male swimmer, France’s Leon Marchand, as well as American stars Regan Smith and Simone Manuel.
“(Bowman) shows consistency, hard work and discipline every day he comes out there,” McIntosh said. “I think all of his swimmers rub off on that and he creates an amazing culture for the team to work hard day in and day out and try to keep improving to get better.”
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The U.S. Open continues Friday with the finals set to be played live at 7 p.m. ET Peacock.
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