The athlete | Summer McIntosh
This summer, one athlete rose above the rest at the Paris Olympics. Summer McIntosh became the first Canadian ever to win three gold medals in one Games at the Paris Olympics, winning gold in the 200-metre butterfly, 200-metre individual medley and 400-metre individual medley — as well as a silver in the 400-metre freestyle. At just 18 years old, she’s an inspiration to us all, and we’re not at all surprised to see she’s been named Canada’s athlete of the year, receiving the annual North Star Award on Tuesday. Â
By Penny Oleksiak — Teammate, one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians
 When I was 16, I met Summer McIntosh. In all honesty, I didn’t remember that first encounter — Summer was only 10 at the moment, but she already had her sights set on the Olympics. Fast-forward to 2019 and 2020, Summer and I grew closer as we both trained at the High Performance Centre in Toronto. During that time, I got to see first-hand how she carried herself: her diligence, focus and incredible work ethic and the training that she eventually displayed at the 2024 Olympics. Summer is an absolute force in the pool, but what’s even more impressive is how she carries herself when she isn’t swimming. For someone who has so much outside pressure, Summer is able to hold herself to a high professional standard while staying laid-back and truly enjoying the ride. A lot of people like to compare our experiences, but for me it has been so admirable to watch how she navigated the talk around her as she entered the Games. Seeing Summer succeed has truly been so inspiring, and I know she has so much of her career left ahead of her. I can’t wait to watch what she achieves next.Â
For more of Toronto’s most inspiring women of 2024, click here.Â
