Canadian swimming star McIntosh has withdrawn from all events at the Swimming World Cup due to illness, though the cause remains unclear.

The first leg of the 2025 Swimming World Cup has concluded.

McIntosh, who was originally scheduled to compete in all three events before the competition began, initially pulled out of the first leg at the last minute. After the inaugural event concluded, Canadian media reporters further confirmed that McIntosh had officially withdrawn from the remaining stops on the Swimming World Cup circuit—including the final leg in Canada.

The reason for withdrawing was an undisclosed medical condition and incomplete physical recovery.

Final stop of the Swimming World Cup seriesOctober 23–25 in Toronto, Canada,

McIntosh's hometown feels the decision to withdraw is deeply regrettable.

McIntosh last competed on August 3 in the 400-meter individual medley at the World Championships. This has been an even more remarkable year for McIntosh, as she dominated the Worlds, claiming four golds and one bronze. Earlier in June, she also shattered three separate world records within just five days—a testament to her extraordinary physical endurance.

In recent years, several athletes have fallen ill but have since made a full recovery. Among them is Japan’s Rikako Ikee, who was diagnosed with leukemia in early 2019—just before her 19th birthday. After a year of intensive treatment, Ikee returned to the pool and went on to compete in two consecutive Olympic Games, ultimately announcing that her leukemia had been officially cured.
Two-time Olympic champion Titmus, who was also diagnosed with uterine fibroids in 2023, underwent timely surgery in September and returned to the pool in December. The following year, she went on to claim both the Olympic title and a world record.
Currently, the exact cause of McIntosh's condition remains unknown, but regardless of its severity, we sincerely hope for a speedy recovery.