On Oct. 22, three Canadian Paris swim Olympians visited our school. Sophie Angus, Mary Sophie Harvey, and Ingrid Wilm participated in the August 2024 Paris Olympics and have set their sights on competing in the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024, which will be held in Incheon.

The SIS swimming team was thrilled to host 2024 Olympic swimmers from Canada, Sophie Angus, Mary Sophie Harvey, and Ingrid Wilm this week. HS swimmers had the unique opportunity to hear about their inspiring journeys and participate in hands-on pool training sessions. This special mentorship session from the Canadian Olympians was all possible thanks to SIS faculty member, Danica Derksen, former D1 swim teammate of Ms. Wilm.

“The coaches were extremely friendly and did us a great favor in teaching us the specifics of each drill,” Byung Wook Park (11), varsity swimming member, said. “I didn’t expect to practice before the swim season like this but it was definitely a remarkable experience.”

In preparation for the upcoming swimming season, numerous aspiring varsity swimmers missed the bulk of their fourth-period classes to attend the lengthy swim session. During the training itself, the Olympians shared valuable insights into their Olympic experiences, including the intense dedication required for elite-level competitions and the importance of endeavoring through challenges.

As a final gesture, the three Olympians took photos with the students, offering their bronze medal as a photo prop for the students to hold, leaving the students with a permanent memory of an encounter with their role models.