Five years ago, Canadian swimmers also won the country’s first medal in Rio-Oleksandr also fixed the team there.

“I just know that I won’t touch third place,” Oleksandr said immediately after the game. “When I make a decision in the game, I have to implement it, so I want these girls to win the silver medal, I want it very much, and I won’t accept anything else.

Watch | Canada won its first medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics:

Kayla Sanchez started the Canadian relay race, surging in the water, laying the foundation for Maggie Mac Neil.

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“There is a lot of pressure, I can choose to let it affect me, or I can choose to stand up and do what I need to do for these girls,” Sanchez said.

McNeill, who was swimming in the 100 butterfly semifinals about an hour ago, maintained his place in the game before Rebecca Smith left the block and entered the pool.

Then it’s Olekshak’s time. She is known for rising at important moments, and she did it again in Tokyo.

Oleksiak completed the final game, dragging Canada out of fourth place and hitting the wall in just three percent of a second to win the silver medal before Simone Manuel of the United States.

Canada completed the relay in 3 minutes and 32.78 seconds, lagging behind Australia, which won the gold medal with a world record time of 3:29.69. The American won the bronze medal with 3:32.81.

Four Canadian women hugged each other in an almost empty venue, and their emotions were obvious in the bath at this moment.

This is a rapid change for the Canadian team. They qualified for the final by being the third fastest in the semifinals about 12 hours ago.

Training challenge lifted

When participating in swimming competitions, Canadian swimmers and coaches talked about the challenging conditions they have faced in the past 15 months-many people said that no other country in the world has been affected in the pool like Canadians.

Some Canadian swimmers had to leave their usual training locations and change their entire plans, including coaches and venues, just to be able to prepare for the Olympics.

Some people worry that the challenge will be too steep, and maybe Canadian swimmers will not be able to pitch in Tokyo like they did in Rio de Janeiro five years ago.

Expect some easing.

But in Tokyo on Sunday, the Canadians showed their resilience.

The pool party has already begun.

Watch | Canadian swimmers face severe training conditions in the pandemic:

Canada is in the golden age of swimming, and many medal contenders headed to Tokyo. But the epidemic may be the biggest challenge between them and the podium. 11:18