At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Route decided to swim only for the 50 m freestyle. She received a Universality place from FINA in an entry time of 32.44. She challenged six other swimmers in heat two, including 14-year-olds Sameera Al-Bitar of Bahrain and Christal Clashing of Antigua and Barbuda. She posted a lifetime best of 31.26 to earn a third spot by 0.26 of a second behind joint winners Al-Bitar and Ghazal El Jobeili of Lebanon. Route failed to advance into the semifinals, as she shared a sixty-fifth place tie with Maldives' Aminath Rouya Hussain on the last day of prelims.