Canadian swimming star Summer McIntosh has successfully recovered from an illness that sidelined her from competing in the World Cup tour. The 19-year-old athlete described the past two weeks as challenging but stated she is now feeling excellent.
McIntosh had to pull out of all three stops on the World Cup tour due to falling ill before the first event in Carmel, Indiana. In an exclusive interview with CBC Sports, McIntosh revealed waking up two days before the World Cup with a severe headache, leading to a series of medical tests to determine the cause of her symptoms.
Despite initial suspicions of conditions like mono, the flu, or COVID-19, McIntosh underwent a lumbar puncture to rule out viral meningitis. However, complications arose from the procedure, forcing her into over a week of bed rest and delaying her return to training.
Having relocated to Austin, Texas to train under renowned coach Bob Bowman, McIntosh expressed her eagerness to gradually regain her strength post-illness and lumbar puncture complications. She expressed disappointment at missing the World Cup events, particularly the final stop in Toronto, where she hoped to compete in front of a home crowd.
While McIntosh missed out on the World Cup, she closely followed the competition, cheering on fellow Canadian swimmers and the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. She highlighted the supportive environment at the University of Texas training facility, where she trains alongside elite swimmers like Leon Marchand and Regan Smith.
Looking ahead, McIntosh intends to compete in the upcoming U.S. Open in December in Austin. She emphasized the invaluable experience of training with Bowman’s team and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continuously improve in a motivating environment.