Canadian swim star Penny Oleksiak passionate about being a role model for kids
TORONTO — Canadian swimming star Penny Oleksiak has a message for every person who reaches out to her on social media: she reads everything.
Still just 17 herself, the four-time Olympic medallist happily shoulders the responsibilities of being a role model, although her popularity can be overwhelming.
“I get kids every day messaging me, and I always want to respond, but I just know that it’s going to break out into a full-on conversation, so I try to refrain from starting up conversations,” Oleksiak said. “But I definitely read through all my DMs, of kids saying ‘Hey, I started swimming,’ or ‘I went to my first meet and I won two gold medals,’ and I always want to reply and say ‘Oh my god, congrats!’
“I definitely read the stories and I love it, and I’m very, very appreciative of people who idolize me.”