UNC swimmer Patrick Hussey makes first Olympic appearance for team Canada in 800 relay

At age three, Patrick Hussey taught himself how to ride a bike at preschool – skipping the training wheel phase entirely.

Hussey was always looking for the next challenge, whether it was something at school or at home competing with his sisters, he wanted to push himself further.

“Patrick always had that drive to push the limit,” Patrick’s mom, Diane Hussey, said. “He was always ‘go, go, go.’”

Patrick Hussey’s drive is what carried him through various sports when he was younger and now, it’s what has led to becoming an Olympian for his native Canada.

When it came time to narrow down which sports he wanted to pursue, Patrick Hussey didn’t hesitate to pick swimming.

In high school in Quebec, Patrick Hussey refined his freestyle technique and eventually the work paid off – earning him a place on the UNC Swimming and Diving team in 2020.

During his senior year at UNC, Patrick earned second-team, All-America honors in the 800 freestyle relay and set the school record in the 200 freestyle (1:32.87) to lead off the relay at the NCAA Championships.

In conversations with his mom, Patrick Hussey expressed that he feels like he learned how to be a resilient athlete during his time at North Carolina.

“Patrick told me that with his UNC training, he learned you have to keep pushing even when it hurts and you have to be resilient,” Diane Hussey said. “That’s where there is a difference from being a good athlete to an elite performing athlete.”

In May, Patrick was back in Canada, this time competing in the Toronto Olympic Trials. With his family in the stands and an Olympic roster spot on the line, Diane and her family felt the weight of the trials.

“Patrick has always been on the cusp of this,” Diane said. “It makes it so much more stressful when you’re on the borderline of something like that. We’ve seen a lot of competition, but that was the most nerve-wracking ever.”

Hussey posted a time of 1:47.81, good for first place in his heat. With only one more heat standing in the way, the reality soon set in for Patrick and his family – he was going to be an Olympian.

After placing second overall in the 200-meter freestyle, Patrick had guaranteed himself a spot on Canada’s 2024 Olympic roster.

“That was the first time it really sunk into me,” Diane Hussey said. “It was his dream to make the team and for that to come true was surreal. We couldn’t believe it and it still feels like a dream.”

On Tuesday, the 23-year-old made his first Olympic appearance in Paris. In the first leg of the 800 freestyle relay, Hussey posted a 1:47.83 split, helping Canada finish seventh in their heat and 14th overall.

Now that his race is over, Patrick feels like he has officially earned the title of an Olympian. Throughout the entire process, Patrick felt supported by both his family and friends outside of the pool.

“It felt good having people behind me and just knowing that I have that support,” Patrick Hussey said. “Individuals are always fun, but there’s something about having your friends behind you and supporting you.”

Despite not advancing to the final round, Patrick is proud of his performance at the games and plans to continue to refine his skills during his fifth year competing at UNC.

During the next few days in Paris, he plans to watch his fellow Tar Heels compete in their competitions, most notably UNC’s Aranaza Vazquez.

For Diane Hussey, this was only one of the many of her son’s accomplishments she’s proud of.

“Patrick is not one to be influenced by others, he always does what he thinks is best for him,” Diane Hussey said. “In that way we are very proud of him. This is a process and it’s very hard work, it has to be done everyday and when it goes bad and it hurts, you have to keep going and Patrick always does.”

Anna Laible and Maya Waid are students with UNC Media Hub, a program with the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, reporting from the Summer Olympics in Paris. Laible hosts the Speak Up Sports Podcast. Follow her journey covering her first Olympics on her Instagram (@anna_laible).