Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh said she felt "chills" while visiting the future LA 2028 Olympic stadium in Los Angeles.
As one of the world's premier athletes, McIntosh's preparation serves as a benchmark for the Canadian national team. Her performance this week will indicate how she has recovered from recent health struggles and where she stands relative to her ambitious goals for the next Olympic Games.
McIntosh is preparing for the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, which are scheduled for Aug. 12-15, 2026 [1]. The event will be held in Irvine, California [2].
During an interview with Devin Heroux, McIntosh discussed her physical state leading into the competition. She said she is rested and recovered after setting a world record and dealing with an illness during the Montreal trials [1].
For McIntosh, the upcoming championships are more than a seasonal competition. She said she is testing her 2028 Olympic goals at this week's event [3]. Those goals include winning five individual gold medals at the 2028 Games [3].
Visiting the Los Angeles venue provided a tangible connection to those aspirations. The athlete said she is excited about leading the Canadian team as they transition from current regional competitions toward the global stage in two years.
While some reports mentioned Los Angeles as the site for the championships, primary sources identify Irvine as the venue for the August meet [2]. McIntosh remains focused on using the California trip to validate her training cycle and mental readiness for the road to 2028.
“"I felt chills seeing the LA 2028 stadium."”
McIntosh's focus on the 2028 Olympics while competing in 2026 highlights a long-term strategic approach to athletic peaking. By using the Pan Pacific Championships as a testing ground, she is treating mid-cycle events as diagnostic tools to refine her training for a specific medal count, rather than just pursuing immediate victory.
