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Carson Olafson’s Olympic dream gets financial boost

The Chilliwack swimmer has received a grant to help with training and travel expenses.
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Chilliwack’s Carson Olafson is one of 55 young Canadian athletes from summer and winter sports selected by Petro-Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee to receive a ‘Fuelling Athletes and Coaching Excellence’ (FACE) grant.

The swimmer is awarded $10,000, with $5,000 going to Olafson and $5000 going to his coach, Tom Johnson. FACE grants are typically used for training, equipment and travel expenses.

Past recipients include Olympic and Paralympic medallists Patrick Chan, Hayley Wickenheiser, Rosie MacLennan, Mark Tewksbury, Kaitlyn Lawes, Marielle Thompson Mac Marcoux (Gold, Para alpine skiing) and Nicholas Gill.

At the 2017 Canadian Swimming Trials in Victoria, Olafson won bronze medals in the 100 and 200 metre freestyles to qualify for FINA World Championships. He was a member of Canada’s eighth place 4×100m freestyle relay team. The 20 year old set a new personal best in the 200m.

Olafson is building towards the 2020 and 2024 Olympics and fits the criteria for a FACE grant perfectly.

The program strives to fund up-and-coming athletes when they need it most, when they are striving to represent Canada at the Olympic or Paralympic Games but don’t yet qualify for government funding.

Recipients are selected based on potential.

Since 1988, FACE grants have given a helpful boost to more than 3,000 athletes and coaches by providing more than $11,000,000 in financial support.

FACE athletes and coaches are also invited to an annual summit to learn from Olympians and Paralympians, and receive advice on media training, public speaking and personal-brand development.



Eric Welsh

About the Author: Eric Welsh

I joined the Chilliwack Progress in 2007, originally hired as a sports reporter.
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