As a child, Olympian Danielle Kettlewell loved synchronised swimming. She worked hard at her sport but admits she was not the best at it. By the time she hit 18, she retired and focused on her studies and coaching synchro. “I was not the person you would have picked to represent her country at the Olympics,” she said.
But she was asked if she wanted to try out for the Australian national team in the hopes of making the team for the Olympics. She made the team and went to the 2016 Rio Olympics. Through her incredible achievements over the past three years, including being part of the first Australian mixed duet to compete at the FINA World Championships, she has found time to finish her studies and write a book.
“Before I want to the Olympics, I was sitting across my sports psychologist working on getting my mental game right. He’s worked with many athletes and champions and when he said to me my story would make an amazing book, it lit a fire in me,” Danielle said. “While it took a while to write because I wanted it to be more than a biography. I wanted the book to be about showing people that it is possible to make your dreams happen. I want to give back. I was given an amazing opportunity and want to share with others all the things that are possible.”
Her book The Unlikely Olympian will hit the shelves in August. “I want to show it is possible to do what you love, follow your passion, and exist in your dreams with the right tools. I have been fortunate to travel the world, compete at the highest levels and work with experts from around the world. My book covers all the things that helped me achieve success, sharing with others so they can do the same with their life,” Danielle said.
Readers also liked our story about Sarah Thornton and her move from lawyer to author.
