Canada’s Summer McIntosh has put Canada on the podium.
The 17-year-old swim sensation took silver in the women’s 400-metre freestyle on Saturday for Canada’s first medal at the Olympics on Day 1 in Paris.
Ariarne Titmus of Australia, the reigning world champion, won gold in three minutes, 57.49 seconds. McIntosh finished in 3:58.37.
They were well ahead of American star Katie Ledecky, who grabbed bronze in 4:00.86.
“It’s pretty surreal,” McIntosh told Devin Heroux of CBC Olympics after the race. “I really try to stay in the moment and not be foucsed on the past or the future. Going into tonight, that was a goal of mine. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the race. I mean I’m always looking for more. I’m still hungry.”
McIntosh moved up after finishing fourth in this race at last year’s world championships.
“Tried to set the tone as best as possible for Team Canada … Eight more days of races to come and I cannot wait,” McIntosh said.
Titmus and McIntosh were 1-2 for most of the race on Saturday.
McIntosh is Canada’s best bet to win multiple medals at the Olympics. She has three more individual races and could take part in three relays.
McIntosh said racing against people like Ledecky and Titmus at the Olympics was “definitely kind of a pinch-me moment.”
Less than an hour later, McIntosh was back in the pool for the 4×100-metre freestyle relay, mere minutes after receiving her silver medal.
The Canadians, with McIntosh, Maggie Mac Neil, Taylor Ruck and Penny Oleksiak, finished fourth.
Australia won gold, followed by the U.S. and China.