Oleksiak is a four-time Olympic medalist and a six-time World Championship medalist as part of Team Canada. She is the youngest Olympic gold medalist of Canada, and she holds the national record for the most Olympic medals at a single summer Olympic Games; moreover, she holds the Olympic Record (OR) in the women’s 100 meter freestyle. “I am so grateful and happy that I was able to win the Olympic medals in Rio,” she said.
As part of the Phelps Team, the young Canadian swimmer will train and compete utilizing the industry-leading range of products from training equipment to performance swim suits, including the FINA-approved Matrix Technical suit, which is available now to consumers all over the globe. “I am super excited to be joining the Phelps Brand, and to be a part of their innovation and their technology,” she said. “Just to be a Canadian swimmer out of Toronto and growing up and looking up to Michael Phelps, and being a part of his brand, is the biggest deal ever to me. To meet him and to work alongside him and to learn from him is really great awesome.”
Regarding her daily motivations, she said, “I am really motivated by inspiring people to get in the water. Water safety is so important to me, and that inspires me every day. If I am in the pool, somebody from any age and any caliber will get in the pool and learn how to swim. That inspires me, first and foremost. Also, knowing that there are so many records out there to break and so many more medals to get, and people to share those medals with. Training with the girls I train motivates me.”
On being a swimmer in the digital age, she said, “It’s pretty cool and it’s fun to have a voice as a swimmer. Swimming has always been a huge sport and every day it keeps getting bigger. Being able to have all this technology with swimming is insane. I am able to watch my swimming underwater and I can have someone calculate how long each stroke takes me, and how far each stroke gets me. To be able to have all of that analysis while I am competing and training is so helpful to me. I am really big on technology and I love analyzing everything that I do. I am always looking to improve my stroke and my speed.”
For young and aspiring swimmers, Oleksiak encouraged them to “have fun with the sport and really love what they are doing.” “I always say that all the time. Swimming is not an easy sport, it’s really difficult. If you really love it, keep up with it and put in the work, that’s how you can become the best,” she said.
Oleksiak mentioned that the breaststroke is her favorite stroke to do, but she listed the freestyle and the butterfly as her favorite strokes to compete in competitions.
On her career-defining moments, she said, “It was at the 2016 Olympics. Getting to compete there and getting to race there gave me so much confidence. It really helped me get through both the good times and the difficult times in racing. I cannot wait until the Tokyo Olympic Games.”
“Quarantine has taught me how to be the best athlete that I can be,” she added.
She defined the word success simply as getting things done for herself and pushing through things. “Being able to push through things and persevere and be the best version of myself in that moment,” she said.
“Thank you to the fans so much for the support, it really means the world to me,” she concluded. “I am so happy that I am able to inspire people and able to even have fans and supporters, that’s insane to me.”
For more information on this announcement, check out the official Michael Phelps website.
To learn more about Olympic gold medalist and world champion swimmer Penny Oleksiak, follow her on Instagram.
