Swimming’s next generation of stars are hogging the spotlight at the Paris Olympics, a brash group that comes from all over the globe.

Summer McIntosh, the 17-year-old phenom from Canada. David Popovici, a 19-year-old from Romania.

Mollie O’Callaghan, a 20-year-old speedster who took down her mighty Australian teammate, Ariarne Titmus, 23.

Throw in an Italian gold medalist, and another from South Africa, and it was clear that swimming’s reach stretches far beyond the traditional powerhouse, the US. In all, 10 different nations divvied up 15 medals on this night.

Sure, the Americans collected some hardware on Day 3 at the La Defense Arena. But it was all silver and bronze, with longtime stalwarts such as Ryan Murphy and Lilly King touching behind other nations.

McIntosh claimed the first gold medal of her rapidly blossoming career with a dominating victory in the 400-metre individual medley. Popovici won a stirring duel to take the men’s 200 freestyle, which featured three different leaders on the final lap.

Then perhaps the biggest surprise of all: Titmus, the world-record holder and defending gold medalist in the women’s 200 freestyle, was knocked off by O’Callaghan.

Titmus, who had started the games with a dominant victory in the 400m freestyle, could only stand off to the side this time, applauding her teammate’s come-from-behind victory.

Canadian McIntosh seemed to take it all in stride. Maybe it’s because she competed at the Tokyo Olympics at age 14, so she sort of feels like a veteran now. “Every single time I get to race on the world stage, I learn more and more about handling it mentally and physically and emotionally and trying not to get too high or too low,” McIntosh said.

McIntosh collected her first medal of any colour on the opening night of swimming, taking a silver in the 400m freestyle behind Titmus — and ahead of Katie Ledecky.

Now, McIntosh has the most prized colour of all. “I try to take every event very individually and just do my work, but starting off for me — getting on the podium — is definitely a great way to start,” McIntosh said. “You try to continue to get better and better.”

She’s got a gruelling schedule in Paris which includes two more individual races — the 200m butterfly and 200m individual medley. There are no plans to celebrate just yet.

“I mean, obviously I’m super happy with this gold,” McIntosh said. “But now I’m all about the 200 fly on day five.”

Grimes, who is also swimming the open water event in Paris, held on to claim the silver in 4:33.40. The Americans also grabbed the bronze when Emma Weyant touched in 4:34.93.

Another teen rules

Popovici made the teenagers 2-for-2 on the night, and it took everything he had.

After the final flip in the men’s 200m freestyle, American Luke Hobson edged in front. Then Britain’s Matthew Richards, out in Lane 1, pushed to the lead. Finally, it was Popovici getting to the wall first in 1:44.72 — a mere two-hundredths ahead of Richards, with Hobson just 0.07 back to earn the bronze.

Pipping ‘Terminator’

Titmus, the Australian star known as “The Terminator,” was heavily favoured in the 200m freestyle, especially after setting a world record last month at the Australian trials and knocking off a stellar field in the 400m freestyle.

But she couldn’t hold off O’Callaghan, who was fifth at the halfway point and third on the final flip. The youngster surged past both Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong and Titmus on the final 50 for an Olympic-record time of 1:53.27.

Titmus slipped to the silver in 1:53.81, while Haughey held on for bronze in 1:54.55.

Gold for Italy, again

Thomas Ceccon gave Italy their second gold in as many nights, rallying to win the men’s 100 backstroke. The Italian, who has held the world record since the 2022 world championships in Budapest, now has a gold medal to go with it after finishing in 52.00.

China’s Xu Jiayu claimed the silver (52.32). Ceccon followed the lead of Nicolo Martinenghi, who grabbed Italy’s first gold at the pool with a victory in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday night.

South African triumph

Tatjana Smith gave South Africa their first swimming gold of the games with a victory in the women’s 100 breaststroke. She held off China’s Tang Qianting with a time of 1:05.28, while the silver medalist touched in 1:05.54.

It was quite a race for the bronze, which went to Ireland’s Mona McSharry in 1:05.59 — a hundredth of a second ahead of King and Italy’s Benedetta Pilato, who tied for fourth.

King, who has said this will be her final Olympics, was denied the sixth medal of her career.