Name: Chantal Van Landeghem
CAN Fund Recipient Since: 2015
Sport: Swimming
Best Result:
5th at Worlds in the 50m Freestyle
2015 Pan Am Games Gold Medalist
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
On The National Team Since: 2011
How does being a CAN Fund Recipient make a difference for you?
The funding will help me focus solely on swimming this year without having to worry about money for rent, utilities and food.
Thinks of someone who has impacted your life. Share 3 words on who they are to you.
My father – Father, Role Model, Biggest Fan
He inspires me every day to do what I love.
What is the biggest hurdle you have overcome to get to where you are today?
Missing the Olympic Team by 0.01 in 2012. It was hard to overcome that disappointment, but I learned from it and it has ultimately made me a stronger and better competitor.
Share 3 words to describe what CAN Fund is to you
Opportunity, Helping Hand, Support
What is the best part about representing Canada?
Representing Canada is the most unbelievable feeling in the world. The best part about representing Canada is being able to do what you love for your country.
Why are you proud to be Canadian?
At the Pan American Games this summer in Toronto, I had never heard a crowd louder than the one we had at the Toronto Pan Am Games Center. It was the first time in my life I ever heard cheering while actually swimming a race. When I touched the wall first in the 100m freestyle, the noise was deafening and a huge smile spread across my face. The truly amazing thing is, whether I had come first or last, I knew the support from my country would be just the same nonetheless.
How did you get involved in your sport?
My dad took me swimming when I was barely a few weeks old. I grew up comfortable in the water and now, I find it one of my favourite places in the world to be.
Best advice you have ever received?
Have fun. Enjoy the moment because it doesn’t last forever.
Biggest lesson you have learned to get to where you are today?
Failure is a learning opportunity.
What advice would you give to young kids or teenagers about following their dreams?
Never give up, even when things get tough or you fall. It’s ok to fall down, just remember to stand back up.
What do you value most in your friends?
Their ability to make me laugh and their perseverance in life.
What are your hobbies?
Reading, napping, eating, and watching movies.
What is your favourite movie?
LOTR trilogy.
What is a healthy snack you eat before or after training sessions?
Fruit smoothies.
Twitter: @chantal_van
Instagram: chantal_van
