Summer McIntosh swam the 200-meter butterfly in 2 minutes 1.65 seconds on Sunday night at the Canadian Swimming Trials in Montreal, breaking the longest-standing individual world record in women’s swimming. The 0.16-second improvement erased the 2:01.81 that China’s Liu Zige set in 2009.

The old mark had survived 17 years. Liu set it during the super-suit era, when polyurethane bodysuits produced times so fast that many stood untouched for a generation. McIntosh took this one down in a regular racing suit at her national trials.

The Record She Chased Longest

McIntosh is a three-time Olympic champion, and she has broken world records before. This one carried different weight. She said afterward it was the one world record she had always dreamt of as a kid.

The swim came at the Montreal Olympic Pool, in front of a home crowd at a domestic meet. World records rarely fall at national trials, where swimmers usually save their sharpest form for international finals. McIntosh did not wait.

Why the 2009 Records Mattered

The super-suit era ended when swimming’s governing body banned the polyurethane suits in 2010. The records set in those suits stayed on the books. For years, coaches treated several of them as close to unbreakable, and Liu’s 200m butterfly mark sat near the top of that list.

Each one that falls now marks a real generational shift. A record set with banned technology has been beaten by an athlete without it.

What Comes Next in Montreal

The Canadian trials run through July 9, and McIntosh is expected to race more events across the week. She has more chances to post fast times before the meet closes.

Canadian swimming fans have watched her rewrite the sport since she was a teenager. This week they are watching it happen at home.

The trials continue in Montreal through July 9, with McIntosh scheduled to race again before the meet ends.