OSU Buckeyes Swimmer Alex Axon Gears Up for Olympic Games
Olympian and Ohio State Buckeyes swimmer Alex Axon is prepping for the 2024 Paris Games, where he’ll compete as part of Team Canada beginning July 26.
Reaching an Olympic level in a sport takes enormous dedication, but the Fisher College of Business finance major’s initial interest in swimming was casual.
“My mom put me in swim lessons just for safety when I was 5, 6 years old, around that time,” the Toronto native said. “And then from there, I just became very interested in the sport. I started swimming — you could say semi-competitive — at the age of 9, 10 and just stuck with it and things took off from there.”
Not long after becoming a competitive swimmer, Axon began racking up accomplishments. He finished fifth in the 5km event in the 14-15 age group at the 2018 World Junior Open Water Championships. He set a record for Canada’s best-ever result in the event.
When it came time to choose a college, Axon set his sights on Ohio State at the recommendation of his hometown friend Ruslan Gaziev, also a Buckeyes champion swimmer and a 2020 Tokyo Olympian.
“He raved about Ohio State, so it was definitely one of my top choices,” Axon said. “I couldn’t be more thankful and blessed for the opportunity that Ohio State has provided me. It’s truly incredible.”
As a member of the Buckeyes swim team, Axon qualified for the 2024 NCAA Championships. He won bronze in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2024 Big Ten Championships.
Under the guidance of the Buckeyes coaching staff led by Bill Dorenkott, director of swimming and diving, Axon and his teammates undergo rigorous training.
“We do nine two-hour swims a week,” Axon said. “And then on top of that, we lift three times a week for one hour in the weight room.”
Leading up to the Olympics, Axon debuted at the World Aquatics Championships in 2022 as a member of Canada’s open water team, competing in the men’s 5km and mixed 4x1500m relay. He was part of Team Canada again at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, where he won bronze in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay and was a finalist in both of his individual events, the 800m and 1500m freestyle.
Axon won three straight silver medals in both the 800m and 1500m freestyle events at the Canadian Trials from 2021 to 2023. He earned his spot on the Paris 2024 Olympic team by winning the men’s 200m freestyle at the Canadian Olympic Trials in a personal best time of 1:47.56. He will compete along with Buckeyes teammate and fellow Ontario native Tristan Jankovics, who also secured a place on Team Canada.
Axon said he has overcome challenges along the way to the Olympics.
“There’s definitely struggles every day. It’s part of the sport — it’s a given,” he said. “It’s always on the back of your mind that this once-in-a-lifetime chance, essentially, is coming up soon.”
While in Paris, Axon said he looks forward to observing other Olympic sports when he’s not competing.
“I’m really interested in seeing the tennis matches,” he said. “That’s one of my favorite sports.”
Axon also plans to explore Paris with his family, who will accompany him on the journey.
“I’m super-blessed that both my mom and my dad are going to be able to come to Paris and watch me,” he said. “And I’m super-excited for them to see me, of course, but also experience the city, experience France.”
While he’s thought about career options beyond swimming, Axon said he’s focused on getting the most out of his Olympic experience. He’s also planning for the 2024-25 academic year, when he’ll be a third-year student.
“I definitely have a lot to think about after the Games, but right now, I’m just going to focus on my last two years of eligibility with Ohio State,” he said. “On top of that, I’m really interested in investment banking and finance.”
Axon said he’s still grasping the historic significance of being an Olympic athlete.
“I don’t want to attest my whole career to being an Olympian, but at the same time, it feels like the end-all, be-all for me, honestly, was making the Olympic Games, becoming an Olympian,” he said. “I feel like that name tag is kind of stamped on me for life, and I’m really proud of that.”