By JANIE McCAULEY AP Sports Writer
NANTERRE, France (AP) — Summer McIntosh is really headed for a golden birthday.
The Canadian swim star turns 18 on Aug. 18, and she has already learned so much about the world – including just how heavy an Olympic medal is.
“The first night when I put the silver on my neck I was actually in shock how heavy it was,” she said, “because no other medal has been that heavy before.”
McIntosh is getting a feel for those weighty medallions now — and has already collected quite a haul for the suitcase going home. A silver in the 400-meter freestyle, and golds in the 400 individual medley and 200 butterfly.
Oh, and you bet she’s planning on adding another in the 200 IM on Saturday night. Even if she was second fastest out of the semifinals Friday night, finishing in 2 minutes, 8.30 seconds, behind American Alex Walsh’s 2:07.45.
It’s those races when she’s not in her tip-top form “I think I learn the most from,” she said. McIntosh added she had only competed in the 200 IM previously in international competition at a Commonwealth Games.
McIntosh won the 200 butterfly Thursday night to add a second gold to her total after her 400 IM victory Monday.
When McIntosh won the fly in an Olympic-record 2:03.03, her mother and 1984 swimming Olympian Jill Horstead jumped for joy and pumped her fist from the stands. This one meant so much to McIntosh because it used to be her mom’s signature race.
“So sharing that moment with her was pretty cool,” McIntosh said. “I know she’s just so proud of me along with the rest of my family.”
Still, there’s no time for much nostalgia. Not yet anyway.
She insists her routine is pretty basic when it comes to taking care of herself between races.
No word puzzles or reading to clear her mind. A little bit of music is more her style.
“It’s a lot more simple than probably people think behind the scenes,” she said. “All I’m doing is eating and sleeping other than when I’m not swimming, so just keep it simple and try to rest my brain as much as I do my body. That’s kind of what works best for me to prepare for my following races.”
Canadian teammate Kylie Masse, who won a bronze in the 200 backstroke Friday, is in awe of not only McIntosh’s remarkable poise on the world stage but also the ability to quickly switch gears from one event to the next.
“It’s incredible. For the number of events she swims, it’s really impressive,” Masse said. “For me, I had a full day off in between of just training, but to be able to not come here, race, go through the whole process, but for her she’s had quite a number of back-to-backs and a 200 at night and a 200 in the morning. It can be really taxing on your body and your mind. So it’s really important to turn off, like she said.”
McIntosh might not have the screaming French fans willing her on for every pull and kick like beloved Léon Marchand, yet she still feels plenty of love from Maple Leaf-waving fans throughout La Defense Arena.
“Being able to represent Canada, it’s such an honor,” she said.
McIntosh might leave Paris with a medal in every individual event she swims and the Maple Leaf draped around her.
“It’s pretty surreal, I’m not reflecting on it too much right now,” she said. “Yeah, while it’s been a pretty amazing Olympics for me, but yeah I’m not done yet. I’ll have lots of time to celebrate after, but right now I’m just keeping it simple.”
And no doubt the teen phenom has made it look exactly that way so far.