Canadian swim star Oleksiak passionate about being a role model

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.”

Oleksiak, who was among Canada’s biggest stories at the Rio Olympics, was presented with an inaugural Youth Leadership Award by Right To Play on Tuesday night, and in the moments before taking the stage to receive the award from sprint star Andre De Grasse and Right To Play founder Johann Koss, Oleksiak talked about her desire to reach kids.

“I’m very, very passionate about being able to inspire kids, and trying to use my platform as much as I can,” Oleksiak said. “I try my best to use my Twitter, my Instagram and everything just to get the word out, because I know kids are always on their phones, always on social media. If I can get my word out through there, then maybe it will inspire more kids to try and get their word out through social media as well.”