Summer McIntosh Is a Second Generation Olympian, so Who Are Her Parents?

When Summer McIntosh started breaking world records and winning medals as a swimmer, the world knew she was something great. But there have been people who have believed in her greatness her whole life: her parents.

And there's a good reason for it. One of her parents is an Olympian and medal-winner of their own. With that in mind, here's what we know about her parents and the journey they've helped her walk to get where she is on the world stage.

According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, Summer was born on Aug. 18, 2006, in Toronto, Canada. She set her first record in Canada at the age of 12, and her first world record at 16.

But there's a reason why she had access to success so early. Summer's parents are Greg McIntosh and Jill Horstead. Jill was herself an Olympian, competing in the 1984 Summer Olympics where she came in ninth. During the 1986 Commonwealth Games, Jill took home a bronze medal in the 200m butterfly race.

Even Summer's sister, Brooke, has become a famous sports star in her own right, although in figure skating rather than swimming.

Jill introduced Summer to swimming at the age of eight, and she was introduced to the Olympics up close and personally in 2016 after the Olympics came to Toronto when she was just 9.

In a way, it was written in the stars for Summer to become a world-winning swimmer.

But even with such an auspicious start and such a strong genetic promise, Summer's record-breaking swims are impressive. In 2025, the 18-year-old swimmer broke three world records in just five days, proving that her future is likely full of achieved dreams.

In June 2025, Summer competed in the Canadian trials for the 400-meter individual medley. She finished in just 4 minutes, 23.65 seconds, with her closest rival coming in a jaw-dropping 12 seconds behind her, according to AP News.

A few days prior, Summer won the 200m individual medley, breaking the world-best mark. And in the same week, she took an impressive two seconds off the world record for the 400m freestyle.

In addition, Summer pushed two other records, coming in just half a second short of the 200m butterfly record and nipping at the heels of star swimmer Katie Ledecky's record in the 800 freestyle.

Summer also holds three gold medals from the Paris Olympics in 2024, as well as one silver medal.

With such impressive Olympic roots in her blood and the drive and determination to make her own splash in the world of swimming, Summer is proof that star power resides both in the genes and the heart of the athlete.

While it's hard to say what her future might hold and swimmers often peak young and retire early, it's clear that Summer is nowhere near slowing down any time soon.