Canadian teenage swimming star Penny Oleksiak is feeling right at home and returning to her Toronto high school less than a month after winning four Olympic medals in Rio.
“I don’t want to say I’m super anxious to come back but I think that I’m not nervous because my summer’s been so short. My summer was two weeks long,” she told reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s going to be a lot better for me just because I get to come back to school and chill out. Training is going to be normal for me. It’s not going to be anything big.”
The 16-year-old, who picked up a gold, a silver, and two bronze medals, begins Grade 11 at Monarch Park Collegiate.
“I think Monarch is a good fit for me because I basically know everyone here already. Coming back everybody is like, ‘Oh, it’s Penny. She’s been here for the past two years’,” she said.
Her performance in the pool at such a young age has made her an instant superstar and a household name across the country.
Just last week, a parade was held in Toronto’s The Beach neighbourhood following her record medal haul.
Oleksiak said she doesn’t believe her status will affect her studies and how she interacts with her classmates.
“I don’t think I’m coming in as a celebrity. I think everyone knows who I am already. At school it won’t be too different for me,” she said.
Oleksiak admits she’s looking forward to getting back into a normal routine and hitting the books, but minus the art supplies.
“I’m really into science and everything. I’m not super into arts at all. I don’t do that.”
Monarch’s principal said she’ll be treated like the rest of the students, expect for some possible homework extensions.
“As for tomorrow, Penny goes back to four periods a day and we’re going to crack that whip and quizzes. She may get an extension or two on assignments if she’s out-of-town swimming,” principal Cynthia Abernethy said.
“Aside from that she’s a regular 16-year-old Grade 11 student to us. We love her to death and we can’t tell the world how happy we are for her success this summer.”
Comments