Penny Oleksiak Admires 2 Canadian Athletes From Other Sports & Here's Why She Sticks To Swimming

Olympic athlete Penny Oleksiak says there are two Canadian athletes she admires and unlike her, they're not swimmers.

During an interview with Narcity, the Toronto-born professional swimmer said she looks up to many sports stars and shared which ones really stick out to her.

The first athlete Oleksiak spoke highly of is Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris, who is a three-time Olympic bronze medalist.

"I love love love, Mark McMorris. I think he's so cool and he's also just such a good person," Oleksiak said.

Oleksiak also gave praise to her good friend, Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu, who won both the Canadian and US Opens in 2019.

"I think she's the best person ever," Oleksiak stated.

"We're also like three days apart. We're both Geminis so we're pretty similar. I really love her."

The last time the two friends made headlines together was when they both attended a Raptors game at Scotiabank Arena in 2019 — let's hope we see a reunion during the 2023-2024 NBA season!

It seems the feeling between the two friends is mutual — Narcity recently interviewed Andreescu during which she spoke highly of Oleksiak.

"I've seen the way she talks, the way she acts, the way she trains, the way she does things. That to me is an inspiration and I wish I was in Toronto more to be around that, to be around her because she definitely motivates me," Andreescu said of Oleksiak.

Oleksiak is Canada's all-time most decorated Olympian, having won seven medals between the 2016 and 2020 Olympic games and she hopes to continue that streak at the 2024 Olympics in France.

The professional athlete has been swimming since she was a kid and when we asked if she could see herself competing in another sport, Oleksiak made her love for swimming very clear.

"I feel like I'm literally meant to be a swimmer and that's it," she said.

Oleksiak moved from Toronto to Los Angeles three months ago to focus on her training after a knee injury and then surgery in 2022.

As she prepares to race again in the sport she loves, Oleksiak has advice for anyone who hopes to become a professional athlete one day.

She says parents and kids often ask her for her input and she tells them all the same thing.

"I've had a lot of kids come up to me before and be like, 'Oh, I don't really like this but my parents want me to do it.' Why are you doing that? You're never gonna be successful in something you don't love. You're just never going to be able to put your whole heart into it," she explained.

"Find something that you really love, you're really passionate about, [and] put your whole heart into it."

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.