Since leaving her “most challenging” Olympics without a swimming medal three months ago, Penny Oleksiak has climbed 19,000 feet to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, done other charity work and attended her first Bills football game in Buffalo.
The Toronto native, who visited CBC Sports headquarters on Thursday, said she’s enjoying life while looking ahead four years to competing at a fourth Olympics and first in Los Angeles.
“I never thought I would have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. It was not on my [bucket list],” Oleksiak, who hiked four to six hours a day over eight days, told Devin Heroux of CBC Sports.
The 24-year-old raised about $90,000 US with her sponsor/partner, Natural Calm Canada, in a charity drive for Thrive for Good, which equips people living in poverty to create sustainable, organic gardens for nutrition and income generation.
“It was an incredible experience. To be disconnected from [the outside world], to meet the people [of East Africa], get immersed in the culture and to find out what the charity is doing was cool,” Oleksiak said.
“Trying to have a life outside of swimming is important. I think that helps a lot with loving [the sport] because sometimes you miss it when you’re away from it for a while.”
These days, Oleksiak helps her Canadian teammates with opportunities outside the pool, including how to secure sponsorship, and being a mentor. But she’s also excited for a return to competition and being part of Canada’s 18-member team at the Dec. 10-15 short course (25-metre) championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Oleksiak will race the 50- and 100-metre freestyle, and “probably” multiple relays.
“Since I’ve been back from my knee injury, I’ve raced four times, one being [the Canadian] Olympic trials and the [Paris] Olympics,” said Oleksiak, who moved to Mission Viejo, Calif., last year to join a group of pro swimmers coached by Jeff Julian. “I’m excited to get back to racing more frequently.
“Hopefully you’re going to see a lot more of me in the water over the next few years.”
WATCH | Oleksiak talks climbing mountains, short course worlds and Paris Olympics:
Canada’s most decorated female Olympian expresses what her expectations will be moving forward in her swim career.
4 medals in 2016 Olympic debut
Oleksiak hasn’t competed at short course worlds since 2016 when she picked up two gold medals, silver and bronze at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ont. A few months earlier, Oleksiak captured four medals in her Olympic debut in Rio, the most by a Canadian at a single Summer Games.
She collected another three medals at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.
But this past summer, Oleksiak didn’t qualify for an individual Olympic event in Paris — she missed a spot in the 100 free by less than a half-second — and had to wait a few days for the relay events. It was hard, she noted, and the first time she felt frustrated at the Olympics.
“This one was the most challenging,” said Oleksiak. “It was awesome to be fully immersed in the experience and watch history being made with [fellow Canadian swimmer] Summer [McIntosh] and [sprinter] Andre [De Grasse] but there was there was so much going on behind the scenes.
“I felt I was outside of the crowd a little bit. I was frustrated.”
I wasn’t expecting it. I don’t think any of [my teammates] expected it.— Penny Oleksiak on sitting out the medley relay final at the Paris Olympics
When it was time to contribute, Oleksiak showed up in a big way. In the 4x100m medley relay heats, she delivered a spectacular 52.93-second freestyle leg to anchor the Canadian women to victory in three minutes 56.10 seconds at La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France.
WATCH | Oleksiak races sensational leg in Paris Olympic medley relay heats:
Penny Oleksiak, Sophie Angus, Marie-Sophie Harvey and Ingrid Wilm finished second overall in the 4×100-metre medley relay heats to qualify Canada for the final at Paris 2024.
However, despite her success, Canada’s most decorated athlete with seven Olympic medals was told she wouldn’t race the final the next day. Oleksiak and her teammates, who were confident of grabbing silver in the event, placed fourth.
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Oleksiak said of sitting out the final. “I don’t think any of [my teammates expected] it.
“I always felt in control at the Olympics because I was the anchor [in the relay]. No matter where we were in a race, I knew if I was able to get [Canada] a medal or not. This is the first time I had to sit there and be like, ‘OK, I’m not in control.’
“I showed up to the [race] and [was there for] support,” Oleksiak added.
In 2016, she figured she would be retired from swimming by now. But not appearing in the Paris Olympic final, Oleksiak said, has lit a fire under her and motivation “to do something impressive in L.A. [in 2028].”