Marianne Limpert reflects on Penny Oleksiak's silver swim

When Penny Oleksiak touched the wall in the Rio pool Sunday to win a silver medal in the 100-metre butterfly, it took Fredericton's Marianne Limpert down memory lane.

It's a memory lane that goes back to the pool in Atlanta in 1996, when Limpert won the silver medal in the 200-metre individual medley.

When Limpert won her silver medal, the 16-year-old Oleksiak wasn't even born.

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And since Limpert's triumph, no Canadian woman has managed to win an individual swimming medal in the pool, until Oleksiak on Sunday.

"It's about time," Limpert, now 43, quipped, on Information Morning Fredericton on Monday.

"Honestly, she's coming in with no pressure, which I think was similar to the situation I was in because no one was really expecting me to medal," said Limpert.

"So I think, what a great performance for her," said Limpert, who now works in communications for NB Power. "She's coming in thinking how, 'Okay, if I do it here great. If not, I've got another four years.'

"She's such a tough competitor, just so poised and so relaxed in the interviews.

"When you hear her talk, it's hard to believe she's only 16 years old."

Limpert also marvelled at the "great anchor leg" Oleksiak swam to help the Canadian women win the 4x100 freestyle relay.

It was so much easier being an athlete.- Marianne Limpert

"It was so much easier being an athlete," said Limpert. "I'm a horrible spectator. I'm watching with my arm over my eyes.

"You'd think I was watching a horror film or something, the way I watch these races.

Limpert's last Olympics as a competitor were in Sydney in 2000. She was in Bejing in 2008 as part of the CBC broadcast team.

"I thought `What a great gig. You're still on the side of the pool. You don't have to perform.'"

Information Morning - Fredericton11:50Marianne Limpert

It's been 20 years since she won silver at the 1996 Olympics. Harry Forestell talks to Marianne Limpert about what that was like.Limpert says she does, and doesn't, miss her days as a competitive swimmer.

"I had some great memories. It was awesome. I think it's good to leave it to kind of move on a little bit."

And the 1996 Olympic silver medallist offered some advice to Canada's 2016 swimming silver medallist.

"Just stay grounded and just keep doing what you're doing," said Limpert.

"It's great to win a medal and it's a huge honour. But it doesn't really change anything at the end of the day.

"Just keep everything grounded. Keep everything normal. I think that's the best thing. And just stay who you are."