Youngest Canadian swimmer not overawed by big occasion of Pan Am Games

Age is no barrier when it comes to Emily Overholt.

At 17, Overholt is the youngest Canadian on the swim team but Wednesday night she swam like a seasoned pro and claimed silver in the 200-metre freestyle behind American veteran Alison Schimdt, eight years her senior.

To make the silver medal even more memorable, it was Overholt's first ever 200-metre race on the international stage. The 5-foot-7 Vancouver native touched the wall in 2:00.43, her best time at that distance. Overholt hardly seemed overwhelmed by the strident pack of Canadians whistling and cheering her on during the race.

“It’s amazing. My whole family is here. I’m having the best time. And just enjoying the experience," she said. “Seeing so many Canadian fans, it’s really exciting.”

It's also been really busy the past two years. Overholt swam on the 200-metre relay team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow that claimed silver. In 2013 she won bronze at the World Junior Swimming Championships for Canada, and she won three gold and a silver at the Canada Games that same year.

“This year I’ve tried to be a lot better, because I’ve got more experience," she said. “That was my best time (tonight). So I was really happy with that. I was really nervous going in.”

Ben Titley, head coach of the National Swim Centre Ontario, said Overholt has a bright future.

“We have a strong, core group of younger female swimmers which Emily is definitely part of and leader of,” he said. "The next four to five years, you are going to see some faces who will be real stars for Canada on the international scene.”

Titley, who lives in Toronto's Distillery district and calls the new aquatics centre in Scarborough home most days, was full of praise for the youngster and said her performance hasn’t been impeded by the vast crowds and weight of expectation to succeed in a home-country Games.

“She might be young but she’s got experience. This is her second season of being on the senior teams. She feels very comfortable with that,” he said. “And her swim tonight (Wednesday), finishing behind an Olympic champion – that’s pretty nice swimming.”

Overholt has a chance for another medal in the women's 4x200-metre freestyle relay Thursday.