Mac Neil swims to historic Pan Am performance
Olympic champ Maggie Mac Neil set a Canadian record with five gold medals at the 2023 Pan Am Games in Chile. The Londoner will compete at her second Olympics in Paris next summer.
(Photo: Andrew Lahodynskyj/COC).
* * *
In just four short years, Maggie Mac Neil has taken the international swim world by storm.
She burst onto the scene in 2019 with a gold medal in the 100m butterfly at the world championships. She became an Olympic champion (and three-time medalist) in Tokyo in 2021. And she won five medals (and set meet records) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
She’s held a world record and Canadian bests along the way. This past week, in Santiago, Chile, the 23-year-old added yet another feat to her impressive swim resume. In her first appearance at the Pan American Games, she made history.
Mac Neil won five gold medals at the Games, setting a new record for most golds by a Canadian at the quadrennial event. She completed the feat with her teammates in the women’s 4x100m medley relay Wednesday afternoon.
That capped off an unforgettable week for the London, Ont. native, which included seven medals in total (a silver and a bronze in relay events, as well). She was golden in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay on Saturday, the 100m butterfly (her premier event) Sunday, the 100m free Monday, and the 50m free Tuesday.
“It was my first Pan Ams, so I didn’t really know what to expect going in, but I think I definitely exceeded all my expectations,” Mac Neil told Gameday London Wednesday afternoon, between her relay team’s morning heat and late afternoon final. “I really wanted to secure the title in the 100 fly. That was my only real goal, I think, coming into this meet.”
She secured it – and did one better, setting a new Games record of 56.94 seconds in the event. The 23-year-old also set a record in her 100m freestyle win (53.64 seconds).
“My fly times have been a little bit off from where I’d like to be, but I just have to keep remembering to put it into perspective that it’s only October. I have a lot to work on, but I’m actually really happy … I’ve never been under 57 seconds in the 100 fly in October. So, I’ll take it.”
She’ll also be taking home seven medals from her latest exploits in the pool, which continue to impress her teammates and swim fans across the country. That is, after she enjoys some down time in Santiago.
“My mom actually flew down last night, so, I’m going to spend three days with her in Chile,” Mac Neil said. “I’m so excited. I haven’t seen her since the summer, so it’ll be a fun time.”
Not that the swimming wasn’t fun – and not only because she kept winning. And winning.
Mac Neil has been enjoying herself at meets this year. For these Games, she served as an ambassador – and had a great time doing it. Her face was everywhere in Santiago. On social media upon her arrival, the Londoner shared a post about meeting a young boy and his dad who’d been copying her pose on a subway billboard.
‘This is a perfect example that YOU CAN DO IT TOO,” she wrote. “This is why I do what I do, and it’s so special!’
Did she have fun at her first Pan Am Games?
“Oh, for sure. I think I’ve learned that it’s more about having fun and not so much about the pressure,” she said. “I’m definitely loving that. And it was an honour for them to ask me to be an ambassador.”
Mac Neil also enjoyed reconnecting with old teammates – and connecting with new ones, as the team featured plenty of young newcomers.
“It’s been fun getting to know them and getting to watch them succeed at this level,” said the now-veteran. “Hopefully, that’s a good practice for them for Olympic trials and then hopefully the Olympics. Most (teammates) I haven’t seen since the summer or before, so it’s great to get back together, catch up and see what everyone’s been up to.”
For the new two-time Pan Am record holder, it’ll be back to school soon. Mac Neil is currently a Masters student at Louisiana State University – after a decorated swimming career at the University of Michigan (NCAA champion).
Mac Neil at the conclusion of her record-setting 100m butterfly swim at the 2023 Santiago Pan Am Games. (Photo: Candice Ward/COC).
“Back to school and back to training,” she said. “I get to go home in November for American Thanksgiving, so I’m really looking forward to seeing my dad and my sister and the rest of my family.”
As for what’s next in the pool, Mac Neil is going to skip this year’s world championships in Doha, Qatar. She’ll compete in smaller meets in the coming months as she continues her studies. School will wrap up in May, just two months before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I’m excited about just keeping improving going into Paris,” she said. “This was the last big (meet), and the swimming has been great. The facilities have been fantastic. It’s been great to have a real village atmosphere and practice being in these different conditions that you don’t have at a non-Games environment.
Mac Neil shows off the gold medal from her record-breaking 100m butterfly win on Oct. 22, 2023. (Photo: Candice Ward/COC).
“I think the more you can practice and be in a Games atmosphere, the better when it comes to the Olympics. The more you can put yourself out there and practice being in an environment you can’t always control is always a good thing.”
Her mom was certainly cheering from home for the first several of her medals at her first Pan Am Games this week. And so, too, were her many adoring fans back home.
“I’m always so grateful for their support. I love being from London and representing the city,” Mac Neil said. “I definitely plan on coming back and settling in London when my career is over. But just to know that people are following me means so much. I’m so grateful to every single person.”
The London Knights (1) and Saginaw Spirit (2) are the two teams still standing in the West. They’ll play for a chance to advance to the OHL Final. What should we expect? Our hockey columnist, Jake Jeffrey, breaks it down …