Oleksiak joins Phelps brand as global ambassador

Triathletes might not be too familiar with the Phelps brand, but they will certainly be aware of the name Michael Phelps, who won 28 Olympic medals during his impressive swimming career. In 2015 parent company Aqua Lung joined forces with Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman. Aqua Lung also owns Aqua Sphere, a brand triathletes will be much more familiar with since it produces wetsuits and other triathlon-specific products.

Related: Mirinda Carfrae signs with Aqua Sphere

Canadian swim star Penny Oleksiak has signed with the company as its first female ambassador. The 20-year-old became Canada’s youngest gold medalist at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where she won four medals, the most a Canadian has won at a single summer Games. She is also a six-time world championship medalist.

Oleksiak is also partnered with Asics.

“I was looking for a good swimsuit brand to join, and Phelps reached out, and it was an offer I honestly couldn’t pass up – getting to work with Michael Phelps and learn from him,” Oleksiak told The Globe and Mail earlier this week. “Every swimmer looks up to him growing up, and it’s just so cool to get to work with him, to help create the best gear and to give my input about the suits.”

Oleksiak “has been tapped as the face of the Matrix campaign, the Phelps Brand’s first new product launch in 2020,” according to a release from the company distributed yesterday.

Related: What swim gear should be in a triathlete’s swim bag?

“I am so excited to be part of the Phelps Team,” Oleksiak said in the release. “I have looked up to Michael my entire career and now have the chance to learn from and work alongside him to bring an incredible experience and line of products to the swimming community. It really is a dream come true for me.”

The Matrix Tech Suit is a “top-of-the-line FINA-approved competitive tech suit created with propriety Exo-Core technology.” The suit uses “adaptive compression material to reduce muscle vibration and drag while ensuring maximum flexibility and freedom of movement.” The suit also uses a tape system to improve body position in the water.

We’ll look forward to seeing if any of this new technology gets adapted into triathlon-specific products in the future.