Canadian distance running star inks NIL deal with Swiss brand

To say it’s been a life-changing year for NCAA distance running star Rachel Forsyth would be an understatement. Yet the 18-year-old hasn’t shied away from the limelight, and has added another major milestone to her list of accomplishments—signing a NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with the Swiss sportswear brand On.

In an exclusive interview with Canadian Running, Forsyth said she’s looking forward to being a part of the On family. “A NIL deal was never something I envisioned in my first year, but I’ve instantly loved how the brand treats me as a person, before an athlete,” she said.

With guidance from her Canadian agent, Ciaran Callaghan, Forsyth says she explored various brand options before striking a deal with On. Forsyth loved the brand’s commitment to supporting her growth throughout her collegiate career, seeing the deal as both a privilege and a motivation boost.

The first-year at Michigan State University (MSU), has quickly announced herself as a rising star in the NCAA. Over the past year, she has won Canadian U20 national titles, a silver medal at the U20 World Championships (the first Canadian female distance runner to do so), multiple Canadian records and a top-20 finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Forsyth admits that her performance at the U20 Worlds in Peru came as the biggest surprise. “It was pretty crazy,” Forsyth says, reflecting on her silver medal. “I just had a great race that day.”

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Growing up in Ann Arbor, Mich., Forsyth says she had several collegiate options, but ultimately chose to stay in-state and run for the MSU Spartans nearby in East Lansing. Although she’s spent her entire life in Michigan, Forsyth has strong Canadian roots—her parents met at the University of Michigan, and her father grew up in London, Ont. Though Forsyth was raised in the U.S., she says her connection to Canada remains a key part of her identity.

As she gears up for her first NCAA outdoor season, Forsyth says she’s excited to focus on her best event, the 1,500m, while also testing herself in the 5,000m for the first time. Her recent U20 3,000m indoor North American area record of 8:53.50 suggests she has the endurance and speed to compete against the best over longer distances, though Forsyth insists she’ll leave the decision up to her coach, Lisa Breznau.

Callaghan says he sees tremendous potential in Forsyth, as she embodies all the traits of a great competitor: “She works hard, loves the sport and thrives on competition,” Callaghan says. “I’m excited to watch her progress over her collegiate career and grateful to be working alongside her.”

With this NIL deal, Forsyth follows in the footsteps of Vancouver’s Ceili McCabe, who, last year, became the first Canadian runner to sign a deal with a major brand (also On). Forsyth says she looks up to several Canadian runners, but particularly 1,500m stars Lucia Stafford and Kate Current, whom she admires for their positivity and dedication to their craft.

As Forsyth continues to make her mark in the NCAA and smash records, the NIL deal presents an opportunity to turn professional or join an On-sponsored training group after she’s done at the university level.