3 months ago
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Singapore: The Commonwealth Games’ battle for relevance has taken a hit, with Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh set to skip next year’s event.
The 18-year-old, widely regarded as the best female swimmer on the planet, claimed another gold medal at the world championships in Singapore on Thursday night, powering to victory in the 200m butterfly ahead of Australia’s Lizzy Dekkers, who took bronze.
McIntosh’s star power is undeniable, but a scheduling clash appears set to rob the 2026 Games of one of its biggest drawcards – unless there’s a last-minute change of heart or a campaign to lure her back.
Three well-placed swimming sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue, told this masthead McIntosh will not represent Canada at the Games, which run from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow.
The primary reason is that McIntosh is putting her focus on the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships (Pan Pacs), which start on August 12 in Irvine, California.
The Pan Pacs, last held in 2018 in Tokyo, feature powerhouse nations such as Australia, Canada, the United States, Japan and Brazil. It is a major meet for non-European countries outside the world championships and Olympics.
Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh. Credit: Getty Images
Canada is still expected to send a reasonably strong team to the Commonwealth Games, but McIntosh’s absence will make it harder for organisers to attract the casual sports fan hoping to catch a glimpse of a teenager who already has four Olympic medals to her name.
McIntosh is aiming to emulate Michael Phelps as the only swimmer in more than half a century of world championship history to win five individual gold medals at a single meet.
She is the world record holder in three events – the 400m freestyle, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.
At just 15, McIntosh claimed gold in the 200m and 400m individual medleys at the 2022 Birmingham Games, and took silver behind Ariarne Titmus in the 400m freestyle.
Summer McIntosh, Ariarne Titmus and Kiah Melverton receive their medals after the women’s 400m final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Credit: AP
A rematch between the two – following Titmus’ victories at the 2023 world titles and 2024 Paris Olympics – may have to wait until the Pan Pacs.
Even then, Titmus is no certainty to compete.
“I don’t think I’ll be back to where I was until 2027 worlds in terms of being at my best,” Titmus told this masthead in May. “That was the decision I was willing to make with where I’m at in my career. I know that I won’t be at my best next year, but I should be on the build-up in 2027 into LA.”
Channel Seven has secured broadcast rights for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, while Channel Nine, publisher of this masthead, holds exclusive rights to the next four Olympic Games – summer and winter – through to Brisbane 2032.
Glasgow will host a streamlined 2026 Commonwealth Games featuring just 10 sports, after stepping in to replace Victoria as host.
The sporting program includes athletics, swimming, 3x3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo. Para variants of the first five sports will also be included.
It marks a significant reduction from Birmingham 2022, which staged 20 sports. Notable omissions from the Glasgow schedule include hockey, cricket, badminton, wrestling, table tennis, diving, rugby sevens, beach volleyball, mountain biking, squash and rhythmic gymnastics.
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The Dolphins plan to send most of their top squad to both the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs, provided athletes are on board with it, despite the tight turnaround.
“My plan is to do the Commonwealth Games for sure,” said Australian freestyle star Kyle Chalmers, whose partner is hoping to return to the pool and represent Norway at the European Aquatics Championships next year.
“I’ve got to speak to Swimming Australia and my coaches, but [the plan] is to do Commonwealth Games, and then I’ll have to be the sole carer of our daughter while [my partner] competes in Paris if that all goes to plan. Our goal is to make the LA Olympics together.”
World Aquatics Championships Singapore. Exclusive, live and free on the 9Network and 9Now.
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