‘It’s great for Canada:’ Penny Oleksiak’s parents happy for daughter’s historic achievement at Tokyo Olympics
Richard and Alison Oleksiak say they cannot wait to see their daughter Penny on Monday when she arrives home after her historic week at the Tokyo Olympics.
"We're really excited to see her tomorrow and really excited to give her a big hug," Alison told CP24 Sunday afternoon.
"We're all going to have a family get-together when she gets back to celebrate … her success. It'll be fun," added Richard.
Their 21-year-old daughter became Canada's most decorated athlete on Sunday. The Toronto swimming phenom achieved the feat after winning the bronze medal with her teammates in the 4x100-metre medley relay.
Penny, Kylie Masse, Sydney Pickrem and Maggie Mac Neil finished third with a Canadian record time of 3:52.60.
Canada's Kylie Masse and Sydney Pickrem cheer as Maggie Mac Neil gives Penny Oleksiak her bronze medal as they celebrate their finish in the women's 4 x 100m medley relay final during the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games, in Tokyo, Sunday, August 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
It is Penny's 7th career Olympic medal, the most by any Canadian athlete both in the summer and winter games. She surpassed Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen, who each have six medals.
Penny is bringing back three medals from Tokyo – a silver (4x100-metre freestyle relay) and two bronzes (200-metre butterfly and 4x100-metre medley relay). She won four medals in Rio five years ago.
"It's great for her. It's great for Canada. It's great for the team. It's a win all around," Richard said on her daughter's success.
Alison added: "We're just really happy that she really achieved the goals that she had, which we were really pleased with."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.