Teen sensation McIntosh, Canadian women's relay team win silvers on opening day of aquatics worlds

Summer McIntosh began the FINA world aquatics championships in the best way possible – with a medal around her neck. 

The 15-year-old from Toronto swam to the silver medal in the women's 400-metre freestyle at the Duna Arena in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday.

McIntosh swam the face in three minutes, 59.39 seconds, finishing only behind American Katie Ledecky, who touched the wall in 3:58.15. Leah Smith of the U.S. captured the bronze medal with a time of 4:02.08. With the result, the Canadian becomes one of four women to ever swim the event in under four minutes. 

WATCH | 15-year-old McIntosh swims to world championship silver:

"I just wanted to have fun and race and push and hang on with [the] others," McIntosh said.

McIntosh burst onto the global stage last summer with a fourth-place finish in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and has continued her top form. She broke her Canadian record in March, swimming the third-fastest time ever in the 400m individual medley (IM) during an invitational trials prep event.

Canada's women's 4x100m relay team ended the first day of competition in Budapest with a silver medal, as the team of Maggie Mac Neil, Taylor Ruck, Penny Oleksiak, and Kayla Sanchez swam to a time of 3:31.15, finishing 1.2 seconds behind Australia, and ahead of the Americans who clocked in 1.63 seconds behind. 

WATCH | Penny Oleksiak drives Canada to silver:

Canada looked to be in the bronze medal position for much of the race, but a strong anchor leg from six-time Olympic medallist Penny Oleksiak pushed the Canadians to second down the final stretch. 

Continuing to be a force on the world stage, Canada earned the same medal in the event as they did at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with the same nations