Penny Oleksiak hauled in a gold, a silver and two bronze medals during her stunning star turn in Rio. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

Instead of competing in her hometown, Penny joined backstroker Kylie Masse, who had also missed the cut, to cheer on their teammates anonymously from the stands. Wearing their Team Canada t-shirts, the sidelined swimmers had to explain awkwardly to excited children that they were not on the team.

Fast-forward a year, and 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak is a national hero.

At an age when most of her peers are still competing in junior-level meets, Oleksiak won an astonishing four medals in Rio — the most ever by a Canadian at a single Summer Games. She became her country's youngest-ever Olympic champion after tying for the gold medal in the 100-metre freestyle. She was selected to carry the Canadian flag into the closing ceremony at the famed Maracana Stadium.

The accolades keep pouring in. This week, Oleksiak won the Lou Marsh Award for Canada's athlete of the year as selected by a group of media members.

And now she's CBCSports.ca's pick for the Canadian athlete of the year.

Yes, Penny Oleksiak has come very far, very fast.