MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) — Summer McIntosh smashed the women’s 400m freestyle world record in winning the title at the Canadian Swimming Trials in 3min 54.18sec on Saturday, sending a signal for this year’s World Championships in Singapore.

McIntosh, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and former world record-holder in the event, sliced more than a second off the previous world record of 3:55.38 set by Australian Ariarne Titmus at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

“Going into tonight I knew that my training has been really good these past few months, and I knew that I could do something special,” the 18-year-old star said. “I mean, I didn’t think my training would be 54.1, but I’m really happy with that overall.”

It was McIntosh’s first race of the trials in Victoria, British Columbia, selection meet for the worlds in Singapore 11 July- 3 August.

She’s entered in seven events, including the 800m free, 400m individual medley, 200m individual medley, 200m free, 200m butterfly and 200m backstroke.

She has indicated she aims to compete in five events at worlds.

McIntosh won gold in the 200m butterfly 200m medley and 400m medley at the Paris Games and she’ll head to Singapore seeking to add to her tally of four world titles.

With Titmus taking a season off, she can expect her greatest challenge in the 400m free to come from Katie Ledecky, but after Saturday’s showing McIntosh appeared more than up for a clash with the US great.

“To be honest I didn’t really feel a lot of pain in that,” she said. “I just felt so strong throughout and that’s never been the case in the 400 freestyle for me.”

“The last 100, I’m always really, really hurting, but I flipped up the 200 and I was just cruising, so I knew that I was having a strong swim.”

“I could tell by the crowd and the way they were cheering that I was probably close to the world record, so I really tried to push that last part for them,” McIntosh added.