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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight
Summer McIntosh won three individual gold medals a year ago at the Olympics, the star in the Paris pool alongside France's Léon Marchand. Apparently unsatisfied with three, she'll go for five gold medals starting Sunday at the world swimming championships in Singapore. Call it a trial run for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The worlds is the highest profile swim meet since last year's Olympics, a showcase for newcomers as well veterans who hope to stick around until Los Angeles. McIntosh will be very busy during the eight days in the pool, packing her schedule with five individual events. She'll contend with prelims in some events, and she'll also add relays. 'This means 14 or 15 races she could swim in eight days, demanding races,' Canada's head coach Iain McDonald told The Associated Press. 'It's a very challenging schedule she's set for herself.' The 18-year-old Canadian set three world records in five days in June at the national trials. She broke her own 400-meter individual medley mark, dropping it to 4 minutes, 23.65 seconds, and set the 200 IM record (2:05.70) and the 400 freestyle record (3:54.18). She was also a mere half-second behind the 200 butterfly record, which has stood since 2009, and just off the 800 freestyle record set last month by American Katie Ledecky. 'She's such a versatile athlete, it's kind of tough to nail what her best events are,' McDonald said. 'She's pretty good right across the spectrum." Opening day McIntosh will be the focus on Day 1 of the pool events in Singapore. She swims the 400 freestyle final, and comes back about 30 minutes later for a semifinal of the 200 IM. Despite holding the world record in the 400 free, she's never won gold in the event at the Olympics or worlds. This time she's ready, and credits coach Fred Vergnoux. 'I'm super pumped for the 400 freestyle and I'm really excited to see how I manage doing the double,' McIntosh told Canadian broadcaster the CBC. McIntosh said Vergnoux has boosted her endurance, pointing more to distance events. 'It's true that I haven't been able to do it on world stage yet,' she said of the 400. 'I think going into past big meets I haven't had the confidence in my training and my freestyle in general — technique-wise and endurance-wise — that I have now.' Ariarne Titmus was the gold medalist in Paris with silver for McIntosh, but the Australian swimmer is taking a year off. It's Titmus's record that McIntosh just broke. Ledecky, the bronze medalist in Paris, appears to be McIntosh's chief rival. McIntosh will also face Ledecky in the 800, which might be the only race where McIntosh is not favored. It's probably 50-50, and it might be the biggest race of the championships. Ledecky set the world record this year of 8:04.12, and McIntosh is right behind, having clocked 8:05.07. 'I think she loves it (the challenge),' Greg Meehan, the U.S. team director, said of Ledecky. 'There are always threats coming at you because you've set yourself to be the gold standard.' McIntosh dominates the two IM races, and should also be a favorite in the 200 butterfly. Ledecky's best race is the 1,500 where she holds the world record and also has the 23 top times in history in the event — and No. 25, too. McIntosh is not in the field here. McIntosh, who will swim this fall under Bob Bowman at the University of Texas at Austin, arrived on the scene aged 14 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, finishing fourth in the 400 free. 'She's been such a strong performer through her entire career at such a young age,' McDonald said. "But she always manages to surprise you, upping her game a little bit.' Attention on Yu Some of the attention in Singapore will be on 12-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi. Yu has qualified in the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 butterfly and could face McIntosh in all three finals. Unbelievably, she could win a medal — at 12. Yu's time of 2:10.63 in the Chinese championships in May was the fastest by any 12 year old — female or male — in history. She's also swum 2:06.83 in the 200 fly and 4:35.53 in the 400 IM. Both of those times would have been good for fourth place in last year's Olympics. Astoundingly, Yu is 12 to 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was at age 12, depending on the event. That's roughly a half-lap of a 50-meter pool. 'There is always somebody coming up next,' McDonald said. ___ AP sports: Stephen Wade, The Associated Press
Associated Press
20 minutes ago
- Associated Press
McIntosh goes for 5 individual golds at world championships with Los Angeles Olympics in sight
Summer McIntosh won three individual gold medals a year ago at the Olympics, the star in the Paris pool alongside France's Léon Marchand. Apparently unsatisfied with three, she'll go for five gold medals starting Sunday at the world swimming championships in Singapore. Call it a trial run for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The worlds is the highest profile swim meet since last year's Olympics, a showcase for newcomers as well veterans who hope to stick around until Los Angeles. McIntosh will be very busy during the eight days in the pool, packing her schedule with five individual events. She'll contend with prelims in some events, and she'll also add relays. 'This means 14 or 15 races she could swim in eight days, demanding races,' Canada's head coach Iain McDonald told The Associated Press. 'It's a very challenging schedule she's set for herself.' The 18-year-old Canadian set three world records in five days in June at the national trials. She broke her own 400-meter individual medley mark, dropping it to 4 minutes, 23.65 seconds, and set the 200 IM record (2:05.70) and the 400 freestyle record (3:54.18). She was also a mere half-second behind the 200 butterfly record, which has stood since 2009, and just off the 800 freestyle record set last month by American Katie Ledecky. 'She's such a versatile athlete, it's kind of tough to nail what her best events are,' McDonald said. 'She's pretty good right across the spectrum.' Opening day McIntosh will be the focus on Day 1 of the pool events in Singapore. She swims the 400 freestyle final, and comes back about 30 minutes later for a semifinal of the 200 IM. Despite holding the world record in the 400 free, she's never won gold in the event at the Olympics or worlds. This time she's ready, and credits coach Fred Vergnoux. 'I'm super pumped for the 400 freestyle and I'm really excited to see how I manage doing the double,' McIntosh told Canadian broadcaster the CBC. McIntosh said Vergnoux has boosted her endurance, pointing more to distance events. 'It's true that I haven't been able to do it on world stage yet,' she said of the 400. 'I think going into past big meets I haven't had the confidence in my training and my freestyle in general — technique-wise and endurance-wise — that I have now.' Ariarne Titmus was the gold medalist in Paris with silver for McIntosh, but the Australian swimmer is taking a year off. It's Titmus's record that McIntosh just broke. Ledecky, the bronze medalist in Paris, appears to be McIntosh's chief rival. McIntosh will also face Ledecky in the 800, which might be the only race where McIntosh is not favored. It's probably 50-50, and it might be the biggest race of the championships. Ledecky set the world record this year of 8:04.12, and McIntosh is right behind, having clocked 8:05.07. 'I think she loves it (the challenge),' Greg Meehan, the U.S. team director, said of Ledecky. 'There are always threats coming at you because you've set yourself to be the gold standard.' McIntosh dominates the two IM races, and should also be a favorite in the 200 butterfly. Ledecky's best race is the 1,500 where she holds the world record and also has the 23 top times in history in the event — and No. 25, too. McIntosh is not in the field here. McIntosh, who will swim this fall under Bob Bowman at the University of Texas at Austin, arrived on the scene aged 14 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, finishing fourth in the 400 free. 'She's been such a strong performer through her entire career at such a young age,' McDonald said. 'But she always manages to surprise you, upping her game a little bit.' Attention on Yu Some of the attention in Singapore will be on 12-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi. Yu has qualified in the 200 and 400 IMs and the 200 butterfly and could face McIntosh in all three finals. Unbelievably, she could win a medal — at 12. Yu's time of 2:10.63 in the Chinese championships in May was the fastest by any 12 year old — female or male — in history. She's also swum 2:06.83 in the 200 fly and 4:35.53 in the 400 IM. Both of those times would have been good for fourth place in last year's Olympics. Astoundingly, Yu is 12 to 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was at age 12, depending on the event. That's roughly a half-lap of a 50-meter pool. 'There is always somebody coming up next,' McDonald said. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Big name Pittsburgh Penguin linked to Edmonton Oilers, but how can it happen?
There's no shortage of speculation about the future of Pittsburgh forward Bryan Rust, 33. Rust has three years left on a deal that pays $5.125 million per year. Rust has no trade protection clauses whatsoever, so he could go to any team, which has many a reporter, blogger and fan around the NHL hoping he'll end up in their city. Such speculation has spread to Edmonton, where the Edmonton Journal's Jim Matheson said the Oilers would like to acquire Rust, even if such a trade would be difficult to make. 'I said they would like Rust. I didn't say anything about what they would have to give up.' On the Hello Hockey show on Edmonton Sports Talk, host Tom Gazzola and NHL insider David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period also discussed Edmonton's future moves. Said Pagnotta of the Oilers: 'They are looking for another Top 6 guy. Now how the hell they pull it off with their (cap) dollars — like they're $300,000 within the cap. But you know all these teams including the Oilers are looking to make these types of additions.' Pagnotta then mentioned Pittsburgh as one team willing to move out players, including Rust and fellow scoring forward Rickard Rakell. 'They're willing to sell, but it's a high price. So, that's why there's not really much going on (right now).' On Oilers Now today, host Bob Stauffer didn't seem bullish on the notion that any big move was coming this summer for the Oilers, though he did say that maybe by October the Oilers might be able to move out a forward under contract. 'I don't think there's anything pending, though. Just know things can change. Situations are fluid.' My take 1. No surprise to hear that the Oilers are interested in Rust. Which team isn't? What would be surprising is for Rust to end up here. He's got no trade protection whatsoever, so he even if he wanted to force a trade to a contending team like Edmonton, he's got no leverage to push for such a move. 2. Why is it unlikely he'd come to Edmonton? All kinds of teams have the cap space needed to take on Rust's contract for the next three years. The Oilers do not. If Pittsburgh wants to be clear of Rust without having to cover any of his salary, they'll move him to a team with ample cap space. 3. Most experts who rank NHL prospects indicate that Edmonton has fewer top prospects than other teams. That means other teams who want Rust just as bad as the Oilers can offer more to get him, one more reason he's not likely to be coming to Edmonton. 4. As I see it, at the trade deadline the Oilers are going to have room to make on big trade. They'll give up their 2027 first round pick to do so and use whatever cap space they can muster by then. It's possible that Rust might be available then, but it's unlikely Edmonton would win the bidding war for him. 5. It's also the case that cap space will be tight in Edmonton in years to come. Rust is 33 next year, then 34 and 35 in the final two years of his deal. Unless Edmonton can find a way to move out a major contract, they won't likely be able to afford Rust under the cap in years to come. Rust is a decent to be a good player for a few more years (see chart below for scoring totals for NHL forwards aged 32 and over), but the key for Edmonton is to figure out a way to compete with younger, cheaper players. That means Edmonton betting on forwards like Ike Howard, Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin, and hoping that their own older veterans such as Zach Hyman, Adam Henrique and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can keep coming up big in the playoffs. At the Cult of Hockey
