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Canadian swimming star Summer McIntosh has already had her name etched into the history books for her record-smashing swims and a trio of Olympic gold medals from Paris 2024, but her coach Fred Vergnoux believes she still has more to give.
“When we talk with Summer, we don’t talk about any limits. And that’s something that I really enjoy with her. We have a very high level of expectation, we expect a lot more,” Vergnoux said in an interview with CBC Sports host Brittany MacLean.
McIntosh broke three world records under the guidance of Vergnoux at the Canadian trials in June, in the 400-metre freestyle, the 200m individual medley, as well as her own 400m IM record.
Vergnoux, who has successfully coached athletes at the past five summer Olympics, is based in France and is currently training McIntosh ahead of the World Aquatics swimming championships in Singapore, when the first finals begin on Sunday, July 27.
The two have been training together since January 2025.
In the eyes of Vergnoux, it’s McIntosh’s consistency that sets her apart from others.
“I think that’s probably what makes the difference between her and the rest is that she never has a day off,” he said. “She’s just embracing every single session to become better and that’s pretty unique.
He adds that her age — 18 years old— lends itself well to her work ethic.
“She’s young, and she’s also very innocent still, even though she’s such a successful swimmer, she has that innocence as a late-old teenager,” he said. “That’s why she’s so into what she does on a daily basis.”
More to come
Vergnoux believes the winning will only continue, and more world records in two other events will fall: the 200m butterfly, an event she won at the Paris Olympics, and the much talked about 800m.
“The three world records that she did, I think she can improve that,” said Vergnoux. “And we seem to forget that she was 0.2 [seconds] off the 200-metre butterfly, which is for me the most difficult one to reach.”
But it’s the 800m event where Vergnoux made his boldest prediction. That event has been owned by legendary swimmer Katie Ledecky since she captured gold at the 2012 London Games.
WATCH | Vergnoux says McIntosh can break more world records:
Fred Vergnoux was by Summer McIntosh’s side when she broke three world records in five days at Canadian swimming trials, so we had to ask, ‘what record will Summer set next?.’
The 28-year-old star has followed that up with three more gold medals, including one in Paris. Proving she’s still the queen of the event, Ledecky then broke her own world record at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., touching the wall in eight minutes and 4.12 seconds back in May.
Yet what has fans believing McIntosh, who will challenge Ledecky in the 800m in Singapore, can triumph is that the Toronto native beat her American rival at an event prior to the Paris Olympics.
McIntosh swam in a national record time of 8:11.39, beating Ledecky’s time of 8:17.12 – a nearly six second gap. Ledecky had not lost an 800m final for more than 13 years.
“I think she’s swam [the 800] four or five times,” Vergnoux pointed out. “[McIntosh has] no experience in the 800 freestyle. I think Summer can go under eight minutes and be the first one to the break long course [world record], no question.”
In an interview with CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux, McIntosh says Vergnoux has pushed her to go faster than she ever thought possible.
“He’s done absolutely amazing with me,” she said. “It’s been awesome to know that he fully believes me. It’s absolutely amazing. And I think that’s such an important relationship to have, because I 100 per cent believe in him and as well, and that’s so important to have the belief in each other.”
WATCH | McIntosh on what’s next:
CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux sat down with Summer McIntosh after she set three world records and five national records at the Canadian swim trials in Victoria, B.C.
In the fall, McIntosh will move to Texas to train under world class coach Bob Bowman, who guided Michael Phelps to unprecedented success in the pool on his way to becoming most decorated Olympian of all-time.
But before then, McIntosh is expected to compete in the 200m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, and 200m and 400m IMs, at the swim worlds.
“We should just enjoy watching Summer swimming. I think it’s only the start for Summer McIntosh, to be honest. For three gold medals in Paris, I think that’s the beginning of something amazing,” Vergnoux said.
“She’s going to carry on writing the story of swimming.”