Three-time Olympic champion and Canadian superstar Summer McIntosh has changed representation, announcing on Tuesday she’s signed with Octagon.
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Widely regarded as the leading agency for athletes in Olympic sports, Octagon’s Managing Director of Olympics, Peter Carlisle, signed Michael Phelps when he was just 16 in 2002. Another Octagon rep, Janey Miller, represents one of the most decorated gymnasts in Olympic history, Simone Biles, along with former swimming greats Natalie Coughlin and Nathan Adrian.
In 2025, Octagon ranked fourth among all sports agencies with $463 million in maximum commissions, according to Forbes.
McIntosh was previously represented by Canadian sports agent Michael Copeland.
“I am excited to partner with Octagon as they have a proven track record working with many of the world’s leading Olympic athletes,” said McIntosh.
“They understand how to support my training and competition requirements while working with me to develop a long-term strategy that will help me maximize athletic success. I am fortunate to have a great team of people around me and supportive corporate partners, and adding Octagon to my team is going to help me continue to pursue my dreams while balancing all the demands leading into LA28 and beyond.”
The change in representation for McIntosh comes almost exactly one year after she confirmed she would be making the move from training in Sarasota to the University of Texas to work under coaching legend Bob Bowman, Phelps’ former coach, in the lead-up to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“Summer’s range and mindset is exceptional,” Bowman said in the Octagon press release. “She has the proven ability to be successful at the highest levels across butterfly, medley, and freestyle because she pairs her natural talent with great habits.
“Our program in Austin is designed to support world-class professionals, and with Octagon helping to manage her commercial opportunities tailored to her performance needs, she’ll have the opportunity to pursue her ambitious goals through LA28 and beyond.”
Prior to joining Bowman last fall, McIntosh established herself as the greatest female swimmer in the world, winning three individual gold medals at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and adding one silver.
In 2025, McIntosh rewrote the history books, setting new world records in the women’s 400 freestyle (3:54.18), 200 IM (2:05.70) and 400 IM (4:23.65) at the Canadian Swimming Trials in June, while also establishing herself as the second-fastest performer of all-time in the 800 free (8:05.07) and 200 fly (2:02.26).
Her performance at the meet made her the first swimmer to set three individual LCM world records at the same meet since Michael Phelps at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and the first female swimmer to do so since Inge de Bruijn at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
Just over one month later, at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, McIntosh won four gold medals, claiming the women’s 400 free, 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM titles, highlighted by clocking 2:01.99 in the 200 fly to become the second woman under the 2:02 barrier and pulling her within 18 one-hundredths of the super-suited world record set by China’s Liu Zige in 2009.
McIntosh also won bronze in the 800 free in a highly anticipated showdown with American star Katie Ledecky.
“Summer has cemented herself as a generational talent with appeal that extends across Canada and well beyond,” said Carlisle.
“She’s a bona fide star across a range of events that has not been seen before in women’s swimming and possesses an engaging and charismatic personality that resonates with consumers, media, and brands across the globe. Summer has a healthy portfolio of corporate partners, and we see a long runway for sustained competitive success and global commercial growth as she pursues her goals and dreams in and out of the pool.”
McIntosh currently has a swimwear endorsement deal with arena, is sponsored by Canadian companies such as lululemon, RBC and Air Canada, and has additional deals with Red Bull and TAG Heuer, among others.
I get that swimming has a culture of varsity sports and swimming at the NCAA system.
I remember all the “hope she knows what she’s doing not getting an education” comments.
I love how the culture of swimming at most clubs emphasizes doing well in school as well to maximize scholarship possibilities.
But realistically Summer is making the absolute best decision not going to NCAA. She’s making an estimated (with sponsors) 1-2.5 million per year since Paris. If she continues that trend for just one Olympic cycle she’ll pull in over 6 mil. A family doctor makes anywhere from 5-8 mil over the course of their careers not including the cost is school.
Hayley wickenheiser and… Read more »
Summer will do well as long as she continues to have fun. It’s not about money it’s about Summer having Fun n continuing to better herself.
Too scared to swim at Com Games
Imagine being so good at something you’re scared of beating up on your competition so badly so you miss out on a championship meet.
Beaten by Australians often
I think in 3 of her 30ish international medals, she’s had an Australian or two finish in front of her
He used the same line to troll in another thread. Titmus retired and Mollie O would be favored in the 200m free, but is there ANY Aussie (or any swimmer) that actually has any realistic chance against Summer in her core events? Not slighting any of the other swimmers, but she is so far ahead of everyone else in those events, I would not think of betting against her. Other than a 200m breast at an Altanta Calssic a couple of years ago, I cannot actually think of any UVA or Sandpiper swimmer that has ever finished ahead of McIntosh. The only Aussie swimmers I can think of ever finishing ahead of her were Titmus and maybe Mollie O. I… Read more »
Only Ledecky and Erica Fairweather have finished ahead of her in the 400 as far as I can remember. Same applies to Marchand, anybody beat him in a final recently? I understand supporting your favorite swimmer,but try to be realistic. Yu Zidi has potential at 13, but she is still way off of Ye Shiwen’s record and no American swimmer has taken down Katie Hoff mark either.IIOther than Katie Ledecky, who could go below 3:56? Or break 2:03 in the 200 fly. 2:06 in the 200IM?
Summer certainly has support system (read: parents) who are business-savvy
Tired of hearing about this privileged diva.
Yes, she should toil in meagre obscurity!
Wait until you find out most athletes are privileged
Describe your training today.
Thanks in advance.
Nobody’s forcing you to read the articles, UVA.
I got news for you. Ledecky comes from a wealthy family, too.
If only the rest of us did
Did she consult with the IOC first? They may not be happy she’s making money
Why is this getting so many downvotes?
SwimSwam, wtf is wrong with you?
Brilliant, Homoetc.
Will she join Kharun in representing the US for 2028? At this point, it feels like she’s been living and training there for most of her swimming career.
Do you think that Marchand and Kos will do that too?
Unlike kharun, she was raised in Canada and seems very proud. Also is already making dough
Under swim Canada’s rules she loses funding from not being in country, unless they made an exception
Wrong. She trained in Toronto, Canada until around her 16th birthday. She’s 19 now.
Why do people keep obsessing over this idea? She seems very fine and content with representing Canada, and has already done so for multiple Olympic cycles.
Because…well…2026 And All That.
Why would she represent USA? There’s literally no reason too
Literally 80% of her live were in Canada