Danielle Kettlewell

"I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada with Australian parents and took up synchronized swimming as more of a hobby than a sport, at the age of eight. A decade later I hung up my cap and nose clip and retired from competitive synchro to focus on university studies like the majority of fellow graduates. Out of alignment and demotivated by university life, I was just plodding through life but I had this whisper inside me that believed I was capable of so much more. Call it fate, luck or a gift from the universe I was dealt a strong blow to the head during training and in an unprecedented (and might I add – unlikely) turn of events, it set me on the path to joining the Australian National Synchro Team, and then the Olympics.

But it didn’t come without sacrifice and moments where self-belief felt non-existent. At times where I missed my family and friends, or the financial strain felt too much to bear or I resented the round the clock regimen of 4.30 wake-ups, gruelling training schedules, strict eating, sleeping (barely) and getting up to do it again the next day, I had to tune into the whisper of my soul saying “what if?” I would rather try and fail, than not try at all, and thanks to my determination and tenacity that got me to the Olympics, I can now say I know how to unlock self-belief within myself and inspire it in others.

My recent retirement from sport has led me on a new path of writing my book, 'The Unlikely Olympian: Step into your Fears to Achieve your Dreams', as well as speaking and coaching women to find clarity in their life to walk the path to their own dreams."