°µÍø½ûÇø

Regan Smith of the United States took silver in 2:04.99, while Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers claimed bronze in 2:06.12.

McIntosh’s swim was the fastest ever in a textile suit and now ranks second all-time, trailing only the 2009 world record set by China’s Liu Zige during the now-banned “super suit� era.

It also broke her own Canadian record from June and added to the Olympic title she won in the event last year in Paris. But McIntosh wasn't satisfied.

“My coach and I, our goal was to break the world record,� she said. “That’s what I’ve been training for — I missed it by that little, and I know I messed up the last 15 metres. I didn’t reach my goal today.�

McIntosh also won the 200 freestyle and 400 individual medley earlier in the meet, and is aiming for five individual titles — a feat only U.S. great Michael Phelps has achieved at a single world championship.

The victory gives her 11 career medals at long-course worlds, moving her past Canadian teammate Kylie Masse, of LaSalle, Ont.

Masse, a five-time Olympic medallist, finished fourth in the women’s 50-metre backstroke final on Thursday, missing the podium by just three one-hundredths of a second.

The race was won by American Katharine Berkoff in 27.08 seconds, with teammate Smith second in 27.25 and China’s Letian Wan third in 27.30.

Fellow Canadian Ingrid Wilm, of Calgary, placed eighth.

Masse was also part of Canada’s 4x100-metre medley relay that won bronze on Wednesday.

Also Thursday, Canada placed sixth in the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay final, with Brooklyn Douthwright, Sienna Angove, Ella Cosgrove and Ella Jansen finishing in 7:52.52.

Australia won gold in 7:39.35, ahead of the United States (7:40.01) and China (7:42.99).

Canada has won six medals at the world aquatics championships — five in swimming and one in diving.

This report by °µÍø½ûÇø was first published July 31, 2025.