By Will Baxley on SwimSwam
For the second year in a row, World Aquatics has named Summer McIntosh and Leon Marchand as its female and male swimmers of the year.
Coming off 2024 as the most decorated individual swimmers in the Paris Olympics, the Bob Bowman-trained duo relinquished no power this year.
McIntosh, 19, she left absolutely no question as to who would win the women’s crown. Before championships season even started, the Canadian phenom had perhaps the best meet of any swimmer this decade. At her country’s 2025 World Championship trials, she unleashed three long course new world records:the 400 freestyle (3:54.18), 200 IM (2:05.70), and 400 IM (4:23.65). The latter record already belonged to McIntosh, while the first two were taken from the legendary Ariarne Titmus and Katinka Hosszu, respectively.
These three swims made McIntosh the first swimmer to break three world records in the same meet in the post-supersuit era. Just as impressive, though, were the two swims she didn’t break world records in. She blasted a 2:02.26 200 fly to post the #2 performance in history. She shocked the world by dropping an 8:05.07, a four-second drop from her new best time from February and one second within Katie Ledecky.
With all eyes on her in Singapore, McIntosh did not disappoint. She struck gold in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 400 free, and 200 fly. In the latter event, she improved upon her trials time with a 2:01.99, making her the fastest textile by over a second and a half. At the end of the week, McIntosh closed off her meet with a bronze in the fastest 800 freestyle in history, narrowly behind Ledecky and Lani Pallister.
Post Singapore, McIntosh switched to coaching under Bowman after her short stint in France with Fred Vergnoux. Austin is clearly treating her well, as she posted her #2 fastest times ever in the 400 free and 200 fly at the U.S. Open. Unfortunately, an illness barred McIntosh from converting her success to SCM at the World Cup stops in her home continent.
McIntosh’s French teammate, 23-year-old Marchand, didn’t boast as decisive of a win as his Canadian counterpart. However, he still undoubtedly earned it. Like a handful of other men, Marchand walked away from Singapore with two gold medals, his coming in the 200 IM and 400 IM. The separating factor was the magnitude of his winning times. In his 200 IM final, he utterly blew past Ryan Lochte’s 14-year-old world record, knocking it from 1:54.00 to 1:52.69. Then, in the 400 IM, he produced a 4:04.73, faster than any other person has ever swum in textile.
At the Carmel stop of the World Cup, Marchand podiumed four times in three days. Then, to cap off his year, the reigning 200 fly Olympic Champion threw down a 1:52.79 at the U.S. Open. This time would’ve earned him silver in Singapore.
Year-End Rankings LCM, McIntosh and Marchand
McIntosh:
- #1 400 free
- #1 200 fly
- #1 200 IM
- #1 400 IM
- #2 800 free
- #9 200 back
- #11 100 fly
- #21 200 free
Marchand:
- #1 200 IM
- #1 400 IM
- #2 200 fly
- #9 200 breast
- #9 400 free
- #23 100 fly
- #31 200 back
- #40 100 breast
See World Aquatics’ “athlete of the year” award for other sports here.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: McIntosh & Marchand Named World Aquatics’ 2025 Swimmers Of The Year
