For most athletes, reaching the level of global icons like Simone Biles and Stephen Curry is a far-off dream. But 19-year-old Summer McIntosh is already moving into that territory. The 3x Olympic champion swimmer is now chasing a bigger dream with her eyes locked on 5 gold medals at the LA 2028 Olympics. While she still has two years left to prove that, her rise off the field has already placed her in a rare category of modern sport.

On 26 May, Summer McIntosh officially joined Octagon, a global sports management firm valued at around $2.4 billion. That group includes Biles, Curry, NHL star Leon Draisaitl, and her own inspiration, Michael Phelps.

Each of those athletes has been with the agency through different stages of their rise. Biles has been part of the setup since 2015, building her legacy alongside her 11 Olympic medals. Curry has been with Octagon since 2009, through most of his NBA journey. Draisaitl has also grown into one of hockey’s top stars under their representation, including his standout season in 2020, while Phelps was part of the same circle during his record-breaking Olympic run in 2002.

Before this move, McIntosh was represented by Canadian businessman and sports executive Michael Copeland, who managed her early brand onto the international stage in 2021. Now, with a larger team behind her, McIntosh said in a statement, “I am excited to partner with Octagon as they have a proven track record working with many of the world’s leading Olympic athletes.”

She added, “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 [the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics] and beyond.”

For someone still only 19, Summer McIntosh has an impressive profile. By 2025, her net worth was around $1 million to $2 million, and her commercial reach continues to expand! Brands such as Arena, Lululemon, Red Bull, TAG Heuer, RBC, and Air Canada are already part of her work experience. She was also named to the TIME100 Next 2024 list and Forbes 30 Under 30 (2025).

Peter Carlisle, Managing Director of Olympics at Octagon, said: “Summer has cemented herself as a generational talent with appeal that extends across Canada and well beyond. 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….. We see a long runway for sustained competitive success and global commercial growth.”

But while she is building a name that now sits among the biggest in sport, the bigger question is what comes next. Can Summer McIntosh turn that rise into five gold medals at the 2028 Summer Olympics?

Summer McIntosh’s big dream from teen breakout to Olympic gold chase at LA 2028

It was in 2021 that Summer McIntosh made her debut as a 14-year-old. Soon after, she qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. But she didn’t come away with a medal. However, things turned around in 2022. She had her big break at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, where she won two gold medals, making her the youngest Canadian ever to win a world title in swimming.

She has also won two silver medals for the 400m freestyle and a gold medal in the 400m individual medley. After that, she started to make quick progress. Then Paris 2024 came, and everything was set. She won four medals, three of which were gold, in the 200m butterfly, 200m individual medley, and 400m individual medley. This made her the first Canadian to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.

Summer McIntosh also picked up a silver, and by then, her place among the best swimmers in the world was pretty clear. On top of that, she is now a two-time World Aquatics Female Swimmer of the Year and holds three world records in the 200m IM, 400m IM, and 400m freestyle.

Even after all that, she is still pushing for more. She has tested new events like the 200m backstroke and even has the 800m freestyle. Now the focus shifts to what’s next: Los Angeles 2028. And she’s already thinking big there too, saying she wants to add a fifth individual event to her Olympic schedule.

“I definitely want to be doing five individual events. What that looks like, I don’t know exactly yet,” Summer McIntosh told CBC Sports.

That next phase also brings change outside the pool. After the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, she has moved from her long-time training base in Sarasota, Florida. “Coach Brent really pushed me to be the best swimmer I could be. I will forever cherish my years here. It’s been a great run.”

Now Summer McIntosh is training at the new training setups under Bob Bowman at the University of Texas. Yes, it’s the same coach who made legends Regan Smith and Leon Marchand. She is not planning to swim college meets, but is exploring what fits best for her next Olympic cycle.