Fiona Doyle, Irish Canadian Swimmer, Beautifully Ambitious

Change is a constant traveler in life that we must provide passage for and sit next to.

It has a lifetime ticket.

Heraclitus knew this.

Heraclitus of Ephesus was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, and a native of the city of Ephesus, then part of the Persian Empire.

Heraclitus was famous for his insistence on ever-present change as being the fundamental essence of the universe, as stated in the famous saying, “No man ever steps in the same river twice”

He also stated “Big results require big ambitions.”

The beautiful fresh faced Irish Canadian Swimmer Fiona Doyle is not shy about her gigantic ambitions.

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In terms of her Olympic ambitions while speaking with the group the42.ie, Fiona uttered the now famous words, “I’m not okay with just being okay.”

We understand. We agree. Fiona is already far, far ahead of just being okay.

At her Facebook she introduces herself. “I am an International swimmer for Ireland currently living and training in Calgary, Canada. I came to Canada almost 4 years ago to try and take my swimming to the next level. Last summer was a turning point in my career, as I qualified for the World Championships and World University Games, while also reclaiming my Irish records in the process.”

In 2005, Fiona qualified for her first major international swim meet, the European Youth Olympic Festival in which she placed 4th in the 100m breaststroke in a time of 1.13. and broke her previously held Irish Record in the process.

Fiona represented Ireland in the 2016 Rio Olympics swimming in the 100M and 200M Breaststroke. In 2013, she competed in the 100 meter event at the World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona where she finished eleventh overall.

Drum roll please.

She won a silver medal in the 100 meter breaststroke at the 2013 Summer Universiade.

fciwomenswrestling.com, femcompetitor.com article, photo via Limerick Leader

Now that is the result of having great ambition.

In recognition of her achievements she was awarded Swim Alberta Female International Swimmer of the Year 2012/2013, University of Calgary female Athlete of the Year 2013 and SwimIreland High Performance Athlete of the Year 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Fiona accepted a sports scholarship from the University of Calgary.

Naturally they are enamored with her as well, “Swimmer Fiona Doyle, newly graduated from kinesiology, will compete in Rio for her native Ireland. One of Ireland’s best, Doyle holds six national records.”

Swim Ireland awarded her athlete of the year 2014 for the second year running.

In 2015, Fiona was awarded the 2015 CIS female swimmer of the year after winning all the breaststroke events. This was the first time since 2009 that a clean sweep was accomplished in the breaststroke events.

During the 2015 World University Games, in Gwangju South Korea, Fiona placed 2nd in the 50m breaststroke and 3rd in the 100m breaststroke.

She became the first Irish swimmer to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Now that is what great ambition will do for you.

On Sunday, July 5, 2015, irishtimes.com followed her stellar accomplishment with praise, “Limerick’s Fiona Doyle has become the first Irish swimmer to qualify for next year’s Olympics in Rio when she qualified for Monday’s final of the women’s 100 meters breaststroke at the World University Games in South Korea.”

Her supporters are legion.

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At communitygames.ie they proudly announce, “For over 40 years, many thousands of Limerick children have participated in events at local, provincial and national level in Community games and we celebrate them all. But we can also take great pride and pleasure in seeing Irish international swimmer Fiona Doyle from Raheen, qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, for she is indeed one of our own.”

On July 22, 2016 at sportswomen.ie they show some love. “sportswomen.ie caught up with Limerick woman, Fiona Doyle before she heads to Rio to compete in her first Olympics in the 100m breaststroke. Fiona has a special place in the history of sportswomen.ie as she was voted our first Sportswoman of the Year by our readers in 2015.”

Now for some high praise indeed.

The Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon is wishing 24-year-old swimmer Fiona Doyle from Raheen all the best in the upcoming Rio Olympic Games.

The dynamic city site ilovelimerick.ie reports, “On behalf of the people of Limerick, I want to wish Fiona every success in the games. She has trained very hard and consistently for years and now her dream is coming true,” the Mayor said.

Fiona will be competing in two swimming events at the games, the 100m and 200m breaststroke and “she can be guaranteed that the whole of Limerick will be supporting her and wishing her well when she steps onto the blocks on Sunday 7 August for her first swim”, adds the Mayor.”

We are happy that love abounds for Fiona. We are falling in love with her too. Therefore, let’s visit her roots.

Limerick is a city in County Limerick, Ireland.

The city lies on the River Shannon, with the historic core of the city located on King’s Island, which is bounded by the Shannon and the Abbey River. Limerick is also located at the head of the Shannon Estuary where the river widens before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 94,192 (2016 census), Limerick is the third most populous urban area in the state, and the fourth most populous city on the island of Ireland.

That is the basics.

The expansive travel site Lonely Planet provides the color. “Limerick straddles the tidal reaches of Ireland’s longest river, the Shannon, where it swings west to join the Shannon Estuary. Following the city’s tough past, as narrated in Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, its medieval and Georgian architecture received a glitzy makeover during the Celtic Tiger era.”

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The city site ireland.com joins in the parade. “An ancient city on the banks of the mighty River Shannon, Limerick is quirky, vibrant and utterly individual. From its beautiful Georgian architecture and grand museums to its rugby-obsessed locals, it will win you over with its unique charm.

Ireland’s first City of Culture, Limerick’s rich cultural life can be seen in world-renowned museums, such as the Hunt Museum, as well as the Limerick City Gallery of Art, housed in the historic Carnegie Building.”

Fiona’s ambition clearly has paid huge dividends.

She is a tough girl from a very tough city with a never say die attitude. That fierceness has served Fiona well.

Ms. Doyle missed qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London by just a half a second. She would indicate it was so devastating, it was as though someone had died.

She didn’t give up.

She became more resolved.

Fiona did qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

“A dream without ambition is like a car without gas… you’re not going anywhere.”… Sean Hampton

As reported on August 8, 2016 at herald.ie, “The 24-year-old finished 20th in the 100m breast stroke at the Olympic Games in Rio yesterday. No one could be more proud than her grandfather, who founded St Paul’s Swimming Club in Limerick in the 1970s, where her love of the water was born.”

We are all so proud of Fiona.

fciwomenswrestling.com, femcompetitor.com article, Photo Credit ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

We are completely onboard with having great ambition.

The penetrating group Psychology Today has influenced our thinking. “Ambition is often spoken of in the same breath as hope, as in ‘hopes and ambitions’. Hope is the desire for something to happen combined with an anticipation of it happening. In contrast, ambition is the desire for achievement or distinction combined with the willingness to strive for its achievement.”

In our athletic beauty’s case, ambition is elegantly adorned in green and red.