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Keeping it light key to Okotokian's Olympic pathway

“For me at least, to get to where I am I have to enjoy every step of the way and as soon as I stop enjoying it then it just becomes tedious and I would rather do something else."
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Finlay Knox, seen here at an Okotoks Mavericks swim meet in 2019, is headed to the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo at the age of 20. (Remy Greer/Western Wheel)

Enjoying each step of the journey has an Okotokian headed to the ultimate destination.

Days removed from being selected to Swimming Canada’s team for the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Finlay Knox spoke of the importance of waking up every morning and enjoying the pursuit of excellence.

“Swimming is one of those sports where it feels like you’re in the water 24/7,” said Knox, an Okotoks Mavericks Swim Club alumnus, in an interview with the Western Wheel. “You’re training six days of the seven, you’re doing double practices and waking up super early.

“For me at least, to get to where I am I have to enjoy every step of the way and as soon as I stop enjoying it then it just becomes tedious and I would rather do something else.

“Enjoying the process is really, really important and the fact that I love swimming so much and enjoying waking up and putting in the work and staying fit and having goals that I know I can achieve and pushing my limits every day.”

Knox stamped his spot on the Olympic team with a first-place performance and new Canadian record of 1:58.07 in the 200m individual medley event at last week’s Canadian Swimming Trials.

He credited the work he put in, his past performances below the Olympic time standard and the advice of coaches for allowing him to perform with the chips down.

“My event, it’s four different strokes, 50 of each, I know how to push myself and I know how to swim fast and that’s what I’m good at,” he said. “When I walked out, knowing that I’ve done the work, I’m excited to race and just enjoy the fruits of my labour.

“Definitely when I did my race and finished it was exciting, but I don’t think it sunk in until I got home. Where I said ‘wow, all this time has gone by leading to Tokyo 2020 Trials before COVID, having that goal and having it postponed a year.’

“Then all of this year, our trials being postponed month after month, it just seemed like finally the time had come.

“And when the time for me to swim fast arose I was able to do that.”

Due to the Games process being pushed back into 2021, his goals and expectations have changed given the time afforded to him.

Knox added the extra year to grow and develop was a blessing for him and many of his younger Olympic teammates.

“Every year I develop and get stronger and faster,” he said. “Before COVID, if we had trials and I would have made the team it would have been a lot closer. I feel like my goal then was to perform and put up a time to make the Olympics.

“Now it’s about not just making the Olympics, but we’re focusing for the Olympics rather than just making it.

“But obviously it’s a lifelong dream, a lot of kids when they’re young say they want to make the Olympics and a lot of that is just talk. I said I wanted to make it, did the work and I’m super excited for Tokyo.”

Swim Canada announced its 26-member Olympic squad on June 24, a group that includes stars of the 2016 Games in Penny Oleksiak, Taylor Ruck and Kylie Masse, veteran Olympian Brent Hayden along with a youth movement featuring the likes of Knox, Joshua Liendo, Cole Pratt and 14-year-old phenom Summer McIntosh.

“We’ve got a good group going in, especially having someone like Brent who is a lot older than everyone, he’s experienced and then we have someone like Summer who’s 14 and this is her first team,” Knox said.

“We have both ends of the spectrum, great energy, everyone I feel like is on the team going to Tokyo not just there to have fun, ‘we made the team that’s it we’re done.’

“We’re there to perform and swim fast and get behind one another.”

The Canadian swimming contingent heads to the left coast for a staging camp at the University of British Columbia campus prior to descending upon the Land of the Rising Sun. The Games run July 23-Aug. 8.

Regardless of the location, Knox is bringing his perspective with him.

“I think that what’s kept me motivated throughout the years, just having fun,” Knox added. “A lot of times in swimming, or sport in general, people can overcomplicate it and make it stressful.

“The most important thing for me is keeping it light, keeping it fun. Swimming is a sport at the end of the day.”


Remy Greer

About the Author: Remy Greer

Remy Greer is the assistant editor and sports reporter for westernwheel.ca and the Western Wheel newspaper. For story tips contact [email protected]
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