Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh has already emerged as one of the best swimmers in the world at 19, drawing comparisons to legendary swimmer Michael Phelps. McIntosh, who won five medals (4 gold, 1 bronze) at the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, followed her impressive medal haul by joining Phelps’ former coach, Bob Bowman’s professional training group in Austin, Texas, at the University of Texas.
Bowman has coached Phelps, Allison Schmitt (five medals at the 2012 Olympics), and Léon Marchand. His swimmers have set 43 world records and over 50 American records under his guidance.
Bowman on Michael Phelps and Summer McIntosh Comparisons
Phelps, who retired from competitive swimming after the Rio 2016 Games, worked with Bowman for over 20 years, first meeting him at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club around 1996 when Phelps was 11. Bowman played a big part in Phelps winning 23 Olympic gold medals, guiding him through technical drills, mental conditioning, and strategic planning over two decades.
In an interview with CBC, Bowman spoke about how he will handle the fact that McIntosh is being compared to Phelps, among other growing expectations.
“I think that as she grows and there are more demands placed on her, particularly leading into L.A., how we manage all that will be very important, and that’s where I’ve had this unique experience with Michael where I understand that part,” he said.
McIntosh recently made waves at the 2026 Pro Swim Series in Austin, Texas, seizing gold in the women’s 200m individual medley on January 15 and claiming silver in the 100m butterfly. With the LA Olympics in 2028 on the horizon, she is determined to keep her momentum going strong.
Bowman on McIntosh’s Performance at Pro Swim Series
At the Pro Swim Series, McIntosh performed remarkably well, winning two gold medals in the women’s 200m Individual Medley and the women’s 400m Individual Medley, respectively. She also competed in the 100m butterfly, winning the silver medal.
After the event, Bowman made his feelings known on McIntosh’s performance in the 400m IM, saying, as per CBC:
“I liked her breaststroke, the first part. We’ve been working on that. She got a little tired at the end. I did not like her backstroke. We need to spend more time on that, but overall, it’s a pretty solid swim. It’s pretty heavy training now, probably more than she’s been under for a while.”
Reflecting on her performance, McIntosh echoed Bowman’s assessment, acknowledging room for improvement in her backstroke. Still, she expressed pride in her race, saying she felt strong and happy with her showing.
