Edmonton-raised swimmer Emma O’Croinin ready for ‘incredible’ Olympic experience in France

As she prepares to caput to France to compete successful nan 2024 Summer Olympics, Canadian swimmer Emma O’Croinin makes a constituent of being grateful for nan squad of “incredible girls” she’ll beryllium racing pinch arsenic good arsenic being thankful conscionable to return portion successful her first Olympics.

“It’s specified an honour to beryllium connected nan squad pinch those girls,” nan 21-year-old Edmonton-raised jock told Global News astatine Noon Edmonton connected Wednesday. “To beryllium a portion of it is really fun.”

What O’Croinin is simply a portion of is Team Canada successful nan women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

“Some group deliberation it’s much unit because you’re not conscionable performing for yourself, you really want to do your champion for nan team,” she explained. “But I really bask it.”

The squad is not each from nan aforesaid place, though O’Croinin noted immoderate of its members person swam connected different teams pinch 1 different before.

“We person a mates of weeks together earlier nan Olympics wherever we’re going to beryllium training together,” she said, noting that training continues astatine a precocious gait correct now. “Soon we’ll commencement tapering and past we’ll get to beryllium rested and fresh to go.”

O’Croinin said of different squad of sorts connected Wednesday, talking astir really grateful she is to her family members for their support and encouragement. She said her full family will beryllium successful France to watch her race.

“They’re truthful supportive. I couldn’t do what I do without their support,” she said, adding that immoderate family members from Ireland will besides beryllium travelling to France to spot her compete.

“No matter nan result, they’re ever location for maine and happy I’m conscionable trying my champion and having nosy pinch it.”

O’Croinin, who started swimming competitively astatine nan property of eight, said her mother was besides a swimmer erstwhile she was younger. She added that her brothers competed successful sports erstwhile she was younger.

“I really conscionable wanted to beryllium for illustration them,” she said, adding that she ever loved swimming and simply decided to “make that my thing.”

In 2019, O’Croinin was named Swimming Canada’s Female Junior Swimmer of nan Year.

Trending Now

The swimmer, who presently competes collegiately for nan UBC Thunderbirds, has already faced formidable title connected nan world swimming stage. She competed astatine nan Santiago 2023 Pan American Games wherever she swam successful nan prelims of nan women’s 4x200m freestyle relay that won bronze. Individually, she reached nan last of nan 200m freestyle arena there.

O’Croinin has besides raced astatine 3 editions of nan World Aquatics Championships, astatine nan 2019 World Junior Swimming Championships and nan 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Championships.

When asked what it feels for illustration knowing she will soon compete astatine her first Olympics, she answered pinch “incredible.”

“You dream of this erstwhile you’re a kid and for it to beryllium really happening is beautiful wild,” O’Croinin said.