Canadian swimming elite took to the Olympic pool in Montreal from July 2 to 6 for the 2026 national trials, aiming to secure spots for this summer’s Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California. Among the athletes, 19-year-old Summer McIntosh stood out as a focal point, seeking to build on her remarkable achievements from the past two years.

McIntosh, a triple gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered the trials after a historic performance last summer in Victoria, where she set new world records in the 400-metre freestyle, 400 individual medley, and 200 individual medley. She further demonstrated her dominance at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where she earned four gold medals and one silver. This season, McIntosh competed in four events—200 butterfly, 400 individual medley, 400 freestyle, and 200 individual medley—starting Sunday evening with the 200 butterfly, an event where she has yet to crack the longstanding 2009 world record set during the supersuit era by Liu Zige.

The trials also marked McIntosh’s first major competition since relocating last fall to Austin, Texas, to train under acclaimed coach Bob Bowman at the University of Texas. Bowman, known for coaching Michael Phelps to an unprecedented 28 Olympic medals, is also guiding McIntosh alongside international competitor Léon Marchand of France. Notably, McIntosh signed with Octagon in May, the agency representing Phelps, signaling a growing profile off the deck.

While McIntosh is poised to headline the Pan Pacific Championships, Canada’s representation at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, has been led by swimmers including Kylie Masse and Joshua Liendo. Masse, a three-time world backstroke champion and five-time Olympic medalist from LaSalle, Ontario, is preparing for her fourth Summer Olympics in 2028, and the Kelowna, British Columbia native Taylor Ruck, also a three-time Olympian, remains a key competitor. Quebec’s Mary-Sophie Harvey, who secured a world championship bronze in the 200 individual medley last year, was another prominent name in the women’s trials.

The men’s field in Montreal was notably absent of some top talent. Joshua Liendo, 23, who claimed Olympic silver in the 100 butterfly in Paris, opted for a reduced schedule focusing on the Commonwealth Games. Another significant development was the absence of two-time Olympic bronze medalist Ilya Kharun, who switched national allegiance to the United States in January, a loss felt by the Canadian program. Born in Montreal but raised in Las Vegas, Kharun had competed for Canada since 2022 as a dual citizen.

Leading Canada’s male contingent was Finlay Knox, the 200 individual medley world champion from Doha 2024. In addition, rising star Oliver Dawson, an 18-year-old from Grande Prairie, Alberta, is emerging as a promising talent after recently breaking two long-standing Canadian breaststroke records in London. Dawson aims to lower the national 200 breaststroke record later this summer.

The Canadian swimming landscape has undergone transformation in recent years. The women’s team has seen the retirement of Olympic butterfly champion Maggie Mac Neil and veteran Sydney Pickrem. Meanwhile, seven-time Olympic medalist Penny Oleksiak remains sidelined due to an anti-doping whereabouts violation suspension through July 2027.

This year’s trials serve as a key stepping stone toward the Pan Pacific Championships, one of the premier international meets outside of the World Championships and Olympics, featuring top swimmers from Canada, the United States, Australia, and Pacific Rim nations, helping Canadian athletes refine their form ahead of the Commonwealth Games and upcoming global competitions.