The lifeguard: Summer McIntosh's Olympian mom works to smooth waters for star swimmer

The Summer of Summer begins in less than 10 days, when Canada's greatest swimming prospect in a generation is expected to heat up the Paris pool and bring home a potential record medal haul.

Summer McIntosh is only 17, but she's been in the national spotlight ever since she burst on the scene as a 14-year-old three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.

As she's racked up world championships and world records, the demands for her time and attention — from sponsors, media, fans, the national sport organization — has only increased, and along with it the scheduling conflicts with training, competition and just being a teenager.

But protecting her is a mama bear who knows the Olympic woods better than most parents, who also had to navigate the choppy waters of being a teenaged Olympic swimmer for Canada.

Jill McIntosh will do whatever she needs to ensure the waters are as smooth as they can be for her daughter as she prepares for the Paris Olympics.

Sitting on a wooden bench and looking out across Siesta Beach in Sarasota as the Florida sun slowly starts to set, Jill is soaking up some last serene, stress-free moments before Summer begins her Olympic programme on the first official day of competition on July 27.

WATCH | McIntosh sits down with Devin Heroux ahead of Paris Olympics:

This is where Summer has spent the past couple of years preparing for these upcoming Olympics, somewhat sheltered from the predictions and expectations and pressure. 

But it's always there. 

"I actually think Summer kind of embraces the outside noise. I don't think she looks at it as pressure. She just looks at it like support," Jill says. "So far I think she's managed it very well. I mean, she's still only 17 years old. But she does have some