History of Penny Oleksiak in Timeline
Penny Oleksiak is a highly accomplished Canadian competitive swimmer, nicknamed "Magic Penny." She achieved international recognition at the 2016 Summer Olympics, becoming the first Canadian to win four medals in a single Summer Games and Canada's youngest Olympic champion with her gold in the 100m freestyle. Notably, she was the first athlete born in the 2000s to win an individual Olympic gold. Oleksiak's achievements earned her the 2016 Lou Marsh Trophy and the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award. She continued her success at the 2020 Summer Olympics, winning three more medals and tying the national record for most Olympic medals won by a Canadian athlete at seven, a record she shares with Andre De Grasse.
20 minutes ago : Penny Oleksiak, Olympic Champion, Suspended Two Years for Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
Canadian Olympic swimmer Penny Oleksiak received a two-year suspension for violating anti-doping whereabouts rules. Oleksiak, Canada's most decorated female Olympian, accepted the ban after failing to properly file her location.
June 13, 2000: Penny Oleksiak's Birth
On June 13, 2000, Penelope Oleksiak, later nicknamed "Magic Penny," was born. She would become a celebrated Canadian competitive swimmer and one of her country's most decorated Olympians.
2006: Cindy Klassen at the Winter Olympics
In 2006, Cindy Klassen held the record for the most medals won by a Canadian in a single edition of the Olympics until Penny Oleksiak broke the record in 2016.
2014: Canadian Age Group Championships
In 2014, at the age of 14, Penny Oleksiak won 10 individual medals at the Canadian Age Group Championships, including five gold, three silver, and two bronze, setting a personal best in every race. She also secured three relay gold medals.
2015: FINA World Junior Swimming Championships
In 2015, just six weeks after fracturing her elbow in a cycling accident, Penny Oleksiak won six medals at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships. These included gold in the mixed 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, silver in the 100 m freestyle, silver in the 50 and 100 m butterfly, silver in the 4 × 200 m relay, and bronze in the 4 × 100 m freestyle events.
December 2016: Short Course World Championships in Windsor
In December 2016, Penny Oleksiak competed in the short course world championships in Windsor, Canada. She won a bronze medal in the 100-metre freestyle, breaking her 3rd World Junior record. She also helped the Canadian team win gold in the 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay and the 4 × 50-metre freestyle relay, along with a silver medal in the 4 × 100-metre medley relay.
2016: Rio Olympics Debut
In 2016, Penny Oleksiak began her competition at the Rio Olympics. She broke the national record and world junior record in the 100 m butterfly heats with a time of 56.73, advancing to the semi-finals. Oleksiak also anchored the Canadian women's 4x100 m freestyle relay team, winning Canada's first Olympic medal in the event in 40 years. The team finished in third place, surprising many.
2016: First appearance at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships since 2016
In 2016, Penny Oleksiak competed at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships. The 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships was her first appearance at the event since 2016.
2016: Qualifying for the Summer Olympics
In 2016, Penny Oleksiak qualified for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, setting the Junior world record in the 100 m freestyle qualifier. She also surpassed Chantal Van Landeghem's Canadian record. Additionally, Oleksiak set Canadian and World Junior records in the 100 m butterfly en route to the Olympics. Before the Olympics, Canadian Tire analysts predicted she might win a medal in Rio.
2016: Oleksiak's Olympic Fame
In 2016, Penny Oleksiak rose to fame at the Summer Olympics by becoming the first Canadian to win four medals in the same Summer Games and the country's youngest Olympic champion in the 100 m freestyle. She was also the first athlete born in the 2000s to win an individual Olympic gold medal. As a result, she was awarded the 2016 Lou Marsh Trophy, the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award, and was named to the Canadian Press team of the year.
2016: Awards for Olympic and Championship Performances
In 2016, as a result of her performances at the Summer Olympics and the short course championships, Penny Oleksiak was awarded the Lou Marsh Award as Canada's top athlete of the year and was named CBC's athlete of the year. She also received the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada's female athlete of the year and was named in the team of the year.
2017: Arena Pro Swim Series and Team Canada Trials
In 2017, Penny Oleksiak's first competition was the Arena Pro Swim Series in Mesa, Arizona, where, hindered by injuries, she finished fourth in the 100 m freestyle. After struggling with a shoulder injury and a concussion, she won the 100m freestyle and butterfly races at the Team Canada trials, qualifying for the 2017 World Aquatics Championships.
2018: Commonwealth Games
In 2018, Penny Oleksiak participated in the Commonwealth Games. While she was unsuccessful in the individual races, she won three silver medals in the relays.
2018: Opting out of Pan Pacific Championships
In 2018, despite qualifying wins at the Canadian Swim Trials, Penny Oleksiak opted not to compete in the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in August, instead taking time to rest before resuming training in September, citing the pressures of fame after the Rio Olympics. She returned to training with Ben Titley at the national team training centre.
March 2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Impact and Phelps Brand Ambassador
In March 2020, Penny Oleksiak had an enforced break from training due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which gave her the opportunity to rethink her training approach. She also became the first female global ambassador for Phelps Brand, a swim gear company co-founded by Michael Phelps, who became a valuable mentor.
2020: Olympic Team Selection and Training
In 2020, Penny Oleksiak was named to Canada's Olympic team for the delayed Tokyo Summer Olympics. At the Canadian Olympic swim trials, she won the 100 m event and came second in the 200 m trial behind Summer McIntosh.
2020: Three Additional Olympic Medals
In 2020, Penny Oleksiak won three additional medals at the Summer Olympics, breaking the national record for Olympic medals at the time.
2020: Olympic Medallist Potential
In 2020, the data analytics division of Canadian Tire identified Penny Oleksiak, whose top FINA ranking was 319th at the time, as a potential Olympic medallist for the Summer Games.
2022: Commonwealth Games Absence and Knee Surgery
In 2022, Penny Oleksiak announced she would not compete at the Commonwealth Games due to the compressed international swimming calendar. Later in the summer, she suffered a meniscus tear while vacationing in Florida and underwent knee surgery in Toronto.
2022: Changes and Challenges in 2022 Season
In 2022, Penny Oleksiak faced changes with Ben Titley's departure and had to adapt to a new head coach, Ryan Mallette. Contracting COVID-19 in early March complicated her preparations for the season. Despite this, she finished second in both the 200 m and 100 m races at the Canadian swimming trials.
2022: 2022 World Aquatics Championships
In 2022, at the World Aquatics Championships, Penny Oleksiak won a silver medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay, a first for Canadian women. She was later disqualified in the semi-final of the 200 m freestyle. She won bronze in the 4x200 freestyle relay. Oleksiak also won a silver medal in the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay, and won her ninth medal as part of the Canadian team in the 4x100m medley relay, tying Ryan Cochrane as the most-decorated Canadian swimmer at those championships.
2023: Withdrawal from 2023 World Aquatics Championships
In 2023, despite being provisionally named to the Canadian delegation, Penny Oleksiak withdrew from the World Aquatics Championships, citing her ongoing knee recovery and a new shoulder ailment. She had made a return to competition in May on the Mare Nostrum tour in Barcelona.
2024: Anchored 4 x 100-metre freestyle team to a bronze medal.
In 2024, Penny Oleksiak competed at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships and anchored the 4 x 100-metre freestyle team to a bronze medal.
2024: Participated in 2024 Summer Olympics
In 2024, Penny Oleksiak participated in the heats and final of the 4x100m freestyle relay at the Summer Olympics, where the Canadian team finished fourth. She also swam the freestyle leg in the heats of the 4x100m medley relay, helping Canada qualify for the final in second position.
2024: Tied for Most Olympic Medals
In 2024, Penny Oleksiak's record for the most Olympic medals was matched by sprinter Andre De Grasse. Both had a total of seven Olympic medals each.
July 2025: Provisional Suspension
In July 2025, Penny Oleksiak voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension after being notified of an apparent anti-doping rule violation by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for whereabouts failures.
July 14, 2027: Eligible for competition again on July 14, 2027
Penny Oleksiak was banned from competing for two years, and will be eligible for competition again on July 14, 2027.
2028: Envisions competing through to the 2028 Summer Olympics
In 2028, Penny Oleksiak envisioned competing through to the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. She mentioned that she was content with her life, what she had accomplished, and what she wanted to do in the future. This was said in advance of the Canadian Swimming Open.
Mentioned in this timeline
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time...
Las Vegas Nevada's most populous city and the seat of...
Los Angeles is the most populous city in California and...
Arizona is a landlocked state in the Southwestern U S...
Barcelona is a major city located on the northeastern coast...
Florida a state in the Southeastern United States is largely...
Trending
20 minutes ago Penny Oleksiak, Olympic Champion, Suspended Two Years for Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
20 minutes ago New Jersey American Water Announces 2025 Community Grants; Residents Seek Repairs.
20 minutes ago Plymouth Police Officer Shoots Armed Man in Parking Lot After Disturbance Call
1 hour ago Waste Management: Traceability Innovation, Offshore Drilling Market, and Thanksgiving Turkey Carbon Footprint.
1 hour ago Elle Duncan leaves ESPN for Netflix sports role amid analyst criticism.
1 hour ago Kristi Noem's deportation flight decision faced scrutiny after judge's order, DOJ reveals call.
Popular
Aftyn Alyssa Behn is an American politician currently serving as...
William Franklin Graham III commonly known as Franklin Graham is...
Candace Owens is an American conservative political commentator and author...
XXXTentacion born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was a controversial yet...
Marjorie Taylor Greene known as MTG is a U S...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...