Canada's McIntosh, American Ledecky win their opening heats at swimming World Cup

TORONTO — Summer McIntosh delivered a breakout performance at last year's Olympic trials. She returns to the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre for this week's World Cup as a bonafide swimming star.

McIntosh didn't disappoint in her homecoming, winning gold Friday night in the women's 400-metre freestyle in a Canadian record time of three minutes 52.8 seconds.

American superstar Katie Ledecky settled for silver in 3:52.88, while Siobhán Bernadette Haughey of Hong Kong claimed the bronze in 3:58.50.

A virtual unknown outside of swimming circles when she qualified for the Tokyo Games as a 14-year-old, there's no mistaking her presence now.

A large poster of McIntosh dominates the wall near the entry to the east-Toronto venue. Sporting a Funkita swimsuit after signing a sponsorship deal last June, her recent accomplishments are listed in block letters below her name: Commonwealth Games record-holder and dual world champion.

Not bad for someone who celebrated her 16th birthday just over two months ago.

"I think she's a really balanced individual and that's what leads to her success," said coach Ryan Mallette. "She can turn it on when she's at the pool and she can turn it off when she's away from the pool."

McIntosh is a headliner at the three-day World Cup in her hometown along with Canadian teammates Maggie Mac Neil of London, Ont., Toronto's Javier Acevedo, Markham, Ont., native Josh Liendo and Kylie Masse, a native of LaSalle, Ont.

Mac Neil, Masse and teammate Ingrid Wilm swept the women 50 backstroke on Friday.

Mac Neil, who captured three medals at the Tokyo Games, won gold in time of 25.96. Masse, a backstroke specialist who won four medals in Tokyo, finished in 26.02.

Toronto's Penny Oleksiak, still out after knee