In chasing her Olympic dream, Danielle Kettlewell travelled the globe for a goal that was always close to home.
She shares her story below:
My recent book, “The Unlikely Olympian: Step into your Fears to Achieve your Dreams” wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for WAIS.
In 2016, three months before I was to head off and compete at the Rio Olympics, I sat in the chair on the second floor of the state of the art WA high performance facility, across from my sports psychologist at the time Matt Burgin.
As I was reminiscing with him about the ups and downs of my journey, having recently qualified as one of the four WA members on the Olympic Team, Matt paused and said to me a short sentence that sparked a new fire inside my heart that would burn bright beyond the Olympic Games. He said, “Your story would be a great book.”
Matt had sat across from countless athletes; Olympians, world champions and legends in their respective sports – yet I was baffled that he chose me to share those words with.
Merely two years earlier, I moved across the world to set out on what seemed like an impossible dream at the time. In 2014, I picked up my life in Canada, used my dual citizenship from my Aussie parents, and trekked across the world to Perth to go after the possibility of a dream.
I was never a strong or extremely gifted synchronised swimmer in Canada and at 18 years old I thought that my journey was over when I entered university. Yet in 2013, when the Assistant National Team coach of the Australian synchronised swimming team reached out to myself and another dual citizen synchro friend about the possibility of trying out for the National Team, in the hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games, I decided to take a leap.
Out of all the places in Australia, I decided to move to Perth; not only because it was one of the best centres for synchro, but also because of the support of WAIS. All the other states didn’t consider synchronised swimming valid enough of a sport to allow us to qualify for a scholarship, yet WAIS took a chance on us.
There were so many hurdles for me to overcome to be able to get to the Olympics, that I vowed if I was able to make it happen that I would share my journey not for myself, but to help and inspire others to go after their impossible dreams in their lives.
My synchro journey however extended beyond 2016 and up until this past year. I was proud to be able to compete at the 2017 World Champs in Budapest and most recently at the 2019 World Champs in Gwangju, where I ended my career in synchronised swimming (recently changed to artistic swimming) making history in my sport by competing as part of Australia’s first mixed duet.
In 2018 when I was considering my retirement I was approached with one last amazing opportunity – to join Ethan Calleja, a competitive swimmer, transition into synchro and train as a mixed duet for 2019 Worlds.
The journey together with Ethan has been a rollercoaster going up against the traditional stereotypes of our sport, but none of that mattered when it all came to fruition in Gwangju at the end of July. Ethan and I walked out on stage and gave it our all. We were not only Australia’s first mixed duet but also the second Aussies ever in our sport to qualify for Finals at a World Championships.
As I walked off stage after the swim for the final time, I was overcome with emotion for my incredible career in the sport and the amount of gratitude I have for being able to achieve my own dreams in my life. Although I may not be making waves in the pool anymore, I believe my book, my story, my journey and my teaching from my story will help others far beyond the pool.
I am so excited about sharing it with the world, and would love your support.
– The Unlikely Olympian: Step into your Fears to Achieve your Dreams
