Penny Oleksiak

**Penelope Oleksiak** (born June 13, 2000) be Canadian competitive swimmer. Ein country ein most decorated Olympian, Oleksiak rise to fame during de 2016 Summer Olympics, wer she cam turn de first Canadian make she win four medals insyd de same Summer Games, den de country ein youngest Olympic champion plus ein her medal win insyd de 100 m freestyle. Na she be de first athlete born insyd de 2000s make she claim Olympic gold medal  for individual event insyd. Ein success lead am make dem award am de 2016 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada ein top athlete, de Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada ein top female athlete for 2016, den member of de Canadian Press team of de year. Five years later she win three additional medals for de 2020 Summer Olympics, she break de national record for Olympic medals.

Dem widely consider am de face of resurgent Canadian women's swimming team insyd de 2010s, Oleksiak sanso be Canada ein most decorated athlete for de World Aquatics Championships den multi-medallist for de World Swimming Championships, World Junior Championships, den Commonwealth Games. She be de current junior world den Canadian record holder insyd de 100 m freestyle, den formerly she hold de world junior den Canadian records insyd de 100 m butterfly, as well as de Olympic record insyd de 100 m freestyle alongsyd Simone Manuel.

## Career
After she learn to swim for neighbour ein pool, Oleksiak take up de sport for de age of 9 wey ein poppie encourage am. Na she sanso take up gymnastics den competitive dance. Oleksiak attempt make she join several swim clubs insyd Toronto, buh na dem reject am secof she get trouble swimming de length of pool. Na she be eventually taken in by coach Gary Nolden for de Toronto Olympian Swim Team, wer na she gain de foundation wey start ein swimming career. Oleksiak say, "The coach there really helped me. He had a lot of faith in me. If I hadn't gone to that club, I don't think I would be where I am today." Within a year, race by Oleksiak for de University of Toronto draw de attention of coach Ben Titley, wey go go on make he lead Canada ein Olympic team. Titley go begin dey work plus am, sporadically at first, then for monthly den weekly basis. As a 14-year-old for de 2014 Canadian Age Group Championships, Oleksiak win 10 individual medals, five gold, three silver den two bronze, wey she set personal best for every race insyd, den then she tack for three relay golds.

Extra investments cam as de data analytics division of Canadian Tire appoint Oleksiak, wey na ein top FINA ranking for de time be 319th, as possible Olympic medallist insyd de 2020 Summer Games.

### 2015–16 seasons
Na first indications of great potential give Oleksiak den identify be wen, six weeks after she fracture ein elbow insyd cycling accident, na she still be able make she win six medals for de 2015 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships. Dis include gold insyd de mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay; silver insyd ein signature 100 m freestyle event; silver insyd de 50 den 100 m butterfly; silver insyd de 4 × 200 m relay den bronze insyd de 4 × 100 m freestyle events.

Na ein next goal be make she qualify for de 2016 Summer Olympics insyd Rio de Janeiro as part of de Canadian national team; der she set de Junior world record insyd wey she qualify for de 100 m freestyle. After she win de race she say "Being able to get the world junior record means quite a bit to me". Oleksiak sanso beat Chantal Van Landeghem ein Canadian record for de process insyd; Van Landeghem join Oleksiak insyd de 100 den 4 × 100 m freestyle events for de Olympics. Oleksiak sanso set de Canadian den World Junior records insyd de 100 m butterfly en route to de Olympics for dat event insyd. Before de Olympics, na Oleksiak rise to 49th insyd de 100-metre freestyle rankings den 37th insyd de 100-metre butterfly, den de Canadian Tire analysts appoint am make she possibly win medal insyd Rio.

#### 2016 Summer Olympics
Oleksiak go compete give Canada ein swimming team for de Rio 2016 Olympics insyd five races. Ein competition begin for day one. Insyd de heats of de 100 m butterfly, she break de national record den world junior record plus time of 56.73 for ein way to de semi-finals. Oleksiak sanso anchor de final leg of de women's 4×100 m freestyle relay team plus Taylor Ruck, Chantal van Landeghem, Sandrine Mainville, den Michelle Williams plus de latter swimming per insyd de heat. Insyd de final of de relay event she hold on to de third position against de United States den Australia, she win Canada ein first Olympic medal insyd de women's freestyle relay insyd 40 years. After de race, de 16-year-old say, "No one expected this of Canada coming into the meet, but now that we are here, people are going to be surprised at what we do."

De next nightie she compete insyd de 100 m butterfly final. Oleksiak start out fast, she touch de halfway wall insyd third before she fini characteristically strong for second place insyd, wey she win de silver medal. She san better ein world junior record den Canadian record insyd de 100 m butterfly for de process insyd. Oleksiak cam turn de first Canadian make she ever win medal for each of de first two days of de Olympics. Plus de win, she exclaim say "I'm just happy that I made Canada proud and getting to look up into the stands and find my parents, it's just amazing for me and it's such a great feeling."

She return to de pool for day five, Oleksiak san get record-breaking qualifier follow by relay medal. She break de world junior record of de 100 m freestyle plus 52.72, de second fastest time of de qualifying heats, wey she anchor de 4×200 m freestyle relay, she san win de bronze (along plus Katerine Savard, Taylor Ruck, den Brittany MacLean). Na Oleksiak ein leg time of 1:54.94 be de 4th fastest insyd de field after de three medallists of de 200 m freestyle.

For day six, na Oleksiak be seventh for de 50-metre turn of de 100 m freestyle, den eventually she surge for gold medal finish, she tie plus Simone Manuel wey she set Olympic record of 52.70. Oleksiak be de youngest Canadian make she cam turn Olympic champion, de first make she win four Summer Olympics medals insyd de same edition, wey she get de second most medals of de country insyd single edition after Cindy Klassen insyd de 2006 Winter Olympics. She sanso be de first athlete born insyd de 2000s make she win individual Olympic gold. Day eight mark Oleksiak ein fifth Olympic race den de one per she no medal for dat edition insyd, she be de butterfly swimmer of de 4 ×100 m medley relay wey she fini for fifth place insyd. Na dem announce de morning of de closing ceremony say Oleksiak go be Canada ein flag bearer give de event. Just days before de closing ceremony, Penny quietly return to ein home insyd Toronto for two days  make she go to Canada ein Wonderland plus ein paddies, before she head back to Rio.

#### 2016 World Swimming Championships
Insyd December 2016 Oleksiak participate insyd de short course world championships insyd de Canadian city of Windsor. As na de event be ein first international competition dey follow de Olympics, in front of ein own crowd, na Oleksiak be de centre of attentions of fans den media. Oleksiak win bronze medal insyd de women's 100-metre freestyle for de third day of competition, she break ein 3rd World Junior record, den two days later she help de Canadian team win gold insyd de 4 × 200-metre freestyle relays. Insyd de final day of competition, Oleksiak anchor Canada to another gold, insyd de 4 × 50-metre freestyle relay, den silver medal for de 4 × 100-metre medley relay. Canada sanso fini third insyd de 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay, buh wound up disqualified.

As result of ein performances for de 2016 Summer Olympics den de 2016 short course championships na dem award Oleksiak de Lou Marsh Award as Canada ein top athlete of de year wey dem name am CBC's athlete of de year as well. Na dem sanso give am de Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada ein female athlete of de year, wey na dem name am insyd de team of de year, dey anchor de Canadian women's swim team insyd Rio den Windsor.

### 2017 season
Na Oleksiak ein first competition insyd 2017 be de Arena Pro Swim Series insyd Mesa, Arizona, dem hold insyd March. Hinder by injuries, she fini fourth insyd de 100 m freestyle. Oleksiak get troubles plus shoulder injury for most of de year before she suffer concussion wen na she hit ein head plus medicine ball insyd de gym. Despite dis she get more success for de Team Canada trials one month later, she win de 100m freestyle den butterfly races wey she earn spots give both insyd de 2017 World Aquatics Championships.

For de world championships Oleksiak anchor de team insyd de 4 x 100 m relay, though de team fini just off de podium insyd fourth place. Insyd de 100 m butterfly Oleksiak just miss de podium wey she get fourth place wen na she swim insyd 56.94, follow by 5th insyd 50 m fly (25.62, Canadian record), den 6th insyd de 100 m freestyle (52.94). However, she win two bronze medals insyd de mixed relays, after she swim de butterfly leg of de mixed 4 × 100 m medley – plus de Canadian team tie for bronze plus de Chinese team after Yuri Kisil swim de anchor leg - den as anchor of de 4 × 100 m freestyle.

Oleksiak compete for de World Junior Swimming Championships insyd Indianapolis. Oleksiak no participate insyd any individual events, buh she swim insyd all five possible relay events wey she help Canada make dem win all five gold medals, wey she break de junior world record den championship record insyd four of dem. Dey follow de junior championships Oleksiak switch coaches from Ben Titley to Bill O'Toole, ein original age group coach insyd de Toronto Swim Club.

### 2018–19 seasons
Insyd September 2017, na dem name Oleksiak to Canada ein 2018 Commonwealth Games team. While unsuccessful insyd de individual races, Oleksiak win three silvers insyd de relays.

Despite she qualify wins for de Canadian Swim Trials, Oleksiak opt she no go compete insyd de 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships insyd August, instead make she rest before resuming training insyd September. She go later say na dis be necessary as way of make she deal plus de pressures of fame after de Rio Olympics, having found that "there was a lot of pressure behind my name. It wasn't really enjoyable for me, and no time was ever really good enough for me." She subsequently return to training plus Ben Titley for de national team training centre.

Insyd de autumn of 2019 na Oleksiak be member of de inaugural International Swimming League wey she swim give de Energy Standard Swim Club, wey she win de team title insyd Las Vegas, Nevada, insyd December.

With de onset of de COVID-19 pandemic insyd March of 2020, Oleksiak take an enforced break from training, she get no access to de pool for four months. She go subsequently cite dis as opportunity make she rethink ein approach to training, wey she contemplate dat on return "I knew that we would just be head-down training, and we weren't going to really have any racing opportunities, so I knew I had to change my mindset. Now, I love training, and I find a lot of joy in looking at technique stuff." Dem delay de 2020 Summer Olympics insyd Tokyo by full year. She sanso cam turn de first female global ambassador give Phelps Brand, swim gear company co-founded by famed Olympian Michael Phelps. Oleksiak bell Phelps valuable mentor.

### 2020 Summer Olympics
She appear for de Canadian Olympic swim trials for ein first proper competition since de pandemic, Oleksiak win de 100 m event plus time of 52.89 seconds, ein fastest since de Rio Olympics den de fourth-best women's 100 m time to dat point for de year insyd. She cam second for de 200 m trial, wey she fini behind 14-year-old training partner Summer McIntosh. Oleksiak joke afterward "I love Summer. I hate training with Summer." For June 24, 2021, na dem name Oleksiak to Canada ein 2020 Olympic team.

Oleksiak begin ein Olympics swimming de anchor leg give Canada insyd de 4×100 m freestyle relay. De team qualify for de final insyd third place den wen Oleksiak dive make she swim de last 100 m na she be behind familiar rival Simone Manuel buh she manage to overtake am insyd de last touch for second place make she win Canada ein first medal of de games. Oleksiak next compete insyd de 200 m freestyle, event she no participate during Rio Olympics. She get de fourth-fastest time insyd de heats, buh sixth per insyd de semi-finals. Insyd de event final, she set fresh personal best time of 1:54.70 make she take de bronze medal. Na dis be ein sixth Olympic medal, wey make am de most decorated Summer Olympian insyd Canadian history, den tie am plus Clara Hughes den Cindy Klassen for de most Olympic medals win by Canadian.

Oleksiak san be part of de Canadian team insyd de 4×200 m freestyle relay, buh despite she break de Canadian record insyd de event final, de team fini insyd fourth place, one ordinal lower dan dema bronze medal performance insyd Rio. She next compete insyd de 100 m freestyle, wer na she win gold four years prior. She qualify thru de heats den semi-finals to de final round, she set fresh personal best den national record plus 52.59 second final performance, wey she fini fourth behind bronze medallist Cate Campbell by 0.07 seconds. She describe ein turn as "frustrating", buh "it's still fourth in the world so I'm not complaining." Na dis be Oleksiak ein highest placement insyd major individual 100 m contest since ein gold medal insyd Rio.

Ein final event of de Games, den thus ein final chance insyd Tokyo make she break de national record for Olympic medals, na ebe de 4 × 100 m medley relay, wer na de Canadian team fini fifth five years earlier. Oleksiak perform de butterfly leg of de relay insyd Rio, buh insyd Tokyo dat dem assign to Maggie Mac Neil, plus Oleksiak anchor de freestyle leg. Dem win de bronze medal wey dem set fresh national record insyd de process, plus Oleksiak ein 52.26 time be de second-fastest insyd de freestyle segment of de race. She dey reflect for ein cam turn Canada ein most-decorated Olympian, she say she prefer she no achieve de result for individual event top, as e "makes it ten times sweeter knowing that I've accomplished this history with girls that are also making history."

### 2022 season
Ben Titley, longtime coach of Canada ein high performance program, unexpectedly lef ein post before de start of de 2022 season. Oleksiak, wey work plus Titley for chaw of de ten years wey precede, acknowledge na de change be "different" now, buh she say she get "a lot of faith and trust" insyd fresh head coach Ryan Mallette. Na ein preparations give de 2022 swimming season be complicated by she contract COVID-19 insyd early March, three weeks before de Canadian swimming trials. She nevertheless fini second insyd de 200 m race, behind Summer McIntosh den ahead of Taylor Ruck. Na she be second as well insyd de 100 m trial, 0.02 behind Kayla Sanchez.

Dey begin de 2022 World Aquatics Championships insyd de 4×100 m freestyle relay, na Oleksiak be part of Canada ein silver medal-winning team, first give Canadian women for de World Championships. Na ein time of 52.51 be de fastest for any swimmer insyd de event. Oleksiak post de third-fastest time insyd de heats of de 200 m freestyle, buh na dem disqualify am insyd de semi-final after she start too quickly off de blocks. She say afterward dat na she know de error before she hit de water, wey she note na she "never false started before in my life. Hopefully it never happens again." For June 22, she win ein second medal of de championships insyd de 4×200 m freestyle relay, wer na de Canadian team fini third. For de same day, Oleksiak compete insyd de heats den semi-finals of de 100 m freestyle, wey she qualify to de event final insyd fourth place. She fini fourth insyd de event final, wich she say na ebe "a bit frustrating," wey she note anoda turn she miss. She then record personal best split time of 52.11 swimming de anchor leg insyd de 4×100 m mixed freestyle relay, wey she take de third-place Canadian team into de silver medal position insyd de final stretch. Na dis be Oleksiak ein eighth World medal, she tie Ryan Cochrane as de most-decorated Canadian swimmer for those championships. She then win record ninth medal as part of de Canadian team insyd de 4×100 m medley relay. For ein success, she note dat all na ein medals be insyd relay events, Oleksiak say na ebe "obvious at this point I wouldn't be here without the team, so it feels weird to claim that title on my own. I feel really lucky to be part of Team Canada."

Oleksiak announce say she no go compete for de 2022 Commonwealth Games, dey cite de compression of de international swimming calendar as result of de pandemic. Later insyd de summer, she suffer meniscus tear while she dey vacation insyd Florida. She immediately undergo knee surgery for Women's College Hospital insyd Toronto make dem repair am, wey she state dat na de recovery process be "probably about to be the longest and most tentative" of her career.

### 2023 season
Oleksiak no attend de national swim trials while she continue dey rehabilitate ein knee, buh she nevertheless provisionally name to de Canadian delegation give de 2023 World Aquatics Championships. She make ein return to competition insyd May for de Mare Nostrum tour insyd Barcelona. However, she subsequently announce ein withdrawal from de World Championships, dey cite both ein ongoing knee recovery den fresh shoulder ailment.

For September 12, dem announce say Oleksiak move to train under coach Jeff Julian insyd Mission Viejo, California. She compete for de 2023 U.S. Open Swimming Championships insyd November, buh she sustain fresh knee injury der wey go subsequently require surgery.

### 2024 season
Dey follow knee surgery recovery, Oleksiak make ein return to competition for de inaugural edition of de Canadian Swimming Open. For advance of de event, she say dat na ein recent experiences den fresh training environment revive ein love for swimming, wey she now envision she dey compete thru to de 2028 Summer Olympics insyd Los Angeles: "I'm really happy with where I'm at right now and what I'm trying to do is going to be transcending the sport. Right now I'm content with where I'm at with my life and what I've accomplished and what I want to do in the future." Insyd ein first event for de Open, Oleksiak post 1:59.75 time insyd de final of de 200 m freestyle, wich she say "felt pretty good," wey she add "I just wanted to be under two minutes and I did it."

De national Olympic swimming trials begin plus disappointment give Oleksiak, wey she fini ninth insyd de 200 m freestyle final wey she miss qualification for de event. She go on make she win de 100 m freestyle plus time of 53.66, wey she cam 0.05 seconds short of de Olympic qualifying time make e guarantee competitive berth insyd de individual event. Na dem name Oleksiak nevertheless to de relay team, wey na wat she say be "just excited to be part of the team right now. It definitely takes some weight off my shoulders knowing that I'm going." She conclude de trials plus win insyd de 50 m freestyle event, albeit again below de Olympic qualifying time. She explain ein participation as "just kind of practice for the front end of my 100." Oleksiak indicate dat she go seek make she obtain de Olympic standard insyd de 100 m prior to de June 23 deadline. She go subsequently compete for de Sette Colli International insyd Rome, buh she san cam short of de Olympic standard plus 53.77.

For de 2024 Summer Olympics, Oleksiak begin by she participate for both de heats den de final of de 4×100 m freestyle relay insyd, wer de Canadian team fini fourth. She swim de freestyle leg insyd de heats of de 4×100 m medley relay, wey help Canada qualify to de final insyd second position. Summer McIntosh replace am insyd de final, wer de Canadian team cam fourth.

## Ein life matter
Na dem born Oleksiak to immigrant parents, Polish American poppie den Scottish mommie, wey she be de youngest of five siblings, one of whom be NHL defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, wey dey play give de Seattle Kraken. De rest of de family sanso get athletic tradition: ein poppie, Richard, komot Buffalo, New York wey he play basketball, football den field athletics den ein mommie hold multiple Scottish Age Group swimming records insyd freestyle den backstroke. Na older sisto Hayley be rower for Northeastern University, den older bro Jake play college hockey. She attend Monarch Park Collegiate Institute insyd Toronto, Ontario til she leave for de end of de 2016–17 school year. As teenager, Oleksiak get dog dem name Jagr after hockey player Jaromír Jágr, den cat dem name Rio.

## Personal bests
### Long course (50-metre pool)

### Short course (25-metre pool)

## References


## External links
Wikimedia Commons get media wey dey relate to ******.

* Penelope Oleksiak at Swimming Canada (archive)
* Penny Oleksiak at World Aquatics
* Penny Oleksiak at Team Canada
* Penny Oleksiak at Olympics.com
* Penny Oleksiak at Olympedia
* Penny Oleksiak at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)