Canadian swimmers struck gold at this year’s Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, bringing home a total of 25 medals. However, like most athletes, their accomplishments are rooted in more than just the sport. A community has the power to champion an athlete’s success.
Swimming Canada’s national team had 36 athletes compete in Santiago from Oct. 21 through Oct. 27, including Alberta natives Rachel Nicol, Finlay Knox and Emma O’Croinin. All three athletes contributed to a national total of 25 medals, Swimming Canada’s highest medal count at a Pan American Games in over 40 years.
Nicol, who grew up in Lethbridge, has been representing Canada on the national and international stage for over a decade.
“We’ve really built this hive of success,” says Nicol, emphasizing Canada’s international presence. “And it becomes so much more real when you can see it for yourself.”
With so many factors contributing to the outcome of a race, it’s hard to deny that a crowd has the power to boost the energy and amp-up the atmosphere.
For both Knox and Nicol, the crowd, the fans and those who watch from a living room back home all play essential roles in supporting and encouraging the athletes. Knox, who spent most of his youth swimming in Okotoks, notes how much of a role support can play.
“I really thrive off of the crowd’s energy and the atmosphere. The more energy, the faster the swim. The faster the swim, the better the crowd gets. It’s a domino effect,” says Knox.
Knox won gold in the men’s 200 m individual medley while Nicol earned gold in the women’s 100 m breaststroke and the women’s 4×100 m medley relay. Both athletes walked away from the games with their first international titles.
Not only do their earnings showcase their talent but they highlight that cheering and championing Canadian athletes is a collective responsibility.
Fostering success starts far beyond a shout from the stands and Swimming Canada seems to be using this support to their advantage.
Until recently, ‘Canada’ and ‘swimming’ were rarely used in the same conversation, particularly outside of the summer months.
However, Canadian swimming is stronger than ever. Canada’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Penny Oleksiak is a swimmer and over the last eight years swimmers including Oleksiak, Kylie Masse, Maggie MacNeil and Summer MacIntosh have propelled Canadian swimming’s international success.
“We’re really trying to one up each year while riding this energy of great performances and fast swimming,” says Knox.
As Swimming Canada continues to establish a strong name for itself on the global stage, it’s only right that Canadian citizens know their names too.
Whether it be tuning into an event broadcast or streaming, checking in with an athlete through social media or standing proudly in the crowd, the world of sport is rooted in the hands of community support.
“It truly is a community that brings up an athlete,” says Nicol.
