It’s rare that a Kelowna athlete can draw a circle around an Olympic date on his/her calendar and actually know for certain they’ll be there to compete.

Kierra Smith has two of them marked in August.

The Active Care Athlete of the Month for April will be on the starting block in Rio Aug. 7 for the 2016 Olympic 100-metre breaststroke preliminary race. And on Aug. 10 she’ll will be back on the platform for the start of the 200 breaststroke preliminary.

Smith, 22, earned a right to swim for her country earlier this month in Toronto at the Canadian Olympic trials, winning both the 100 and 200 finals. Her time of 1:06.93 was a big-time personal best (previous PB was 1:07.44), while she qualified for Rio in the 200 with a clocking of 2:23.93 in the 200 (PB is 2:22.82).

While Smith, the Active Care Athlete of the Month and a member of the West Kelowna-based Liquid Lightning Swim Club, is assured of starting the two preliminary Olympic races, she also has Aug. 8 and Aug. 13 pencilled in — the start of the 100- and 200-metre finals respectively.

Ranked 12th in the world in the 200 and 16th in the 100, Smith has every intention of not only reaching the final of both events, but is confident she can stand on the top of the podium.

“Last week was only a checkpoint, so we’re not celebrating anything yet,” wrote Smith in a recent Facebook entry. “The 200 breast in Rio is wide open and there for the taking if I’m perfect between then and now.”

Unlike at the Canadian trials when she and her coaches, including Emil Dimitrov of the Liquid Lightning, planned “conservative” races to make sure there were no disqualifications, Smith will be going all out in Rio.

“I know we’ll throw the kitchen sink into getting on to that podium,” added Smith, announced earlier this week as Kelowna’s 2015 Female Athlete of the Year at the Civic Awards Ceremony, in addition to being named the Active Care Athlete of the Month.

The Immaculata High School graduate will also be considered to swim the breaststroke for Canada in the 4x100 medley relay at the Olympics.

“My coaches told me to go out there, be myself, and enjoy the moment,” said Smith after her surprising win in the 100-metre breast. “That’s what I did. And I really did have a lot of fun . . . I’m just so happy right now, I don’t know what else to say.”

Smith, coming off a gold-medal performance in the 200 breaststroke at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto, said in an earlier interview with KelownaNow that the Olympics are a whole new ballgame.

“I’ve been on the national team and been the top breaststroker in Canada for the past two years, so I just have to hope that I can keep my nerves in check through Olympic trials and make the Olympic team,” said Smith at the time.

“In 2012 I finished fourth and didn’t make it. This year I feel a lot more confident and lot more like I deserve to be there. I’m really looking forward to going there (Olympic trials), getting it done, and hopefully qualifying,” added Smith.

To have her further prepared to contend for a spot on Canada’s roster in Rio this summer, Smith took the year off from her studies at the University of Minnesota and migrated back to Kelowna to train with Dimitrov. Even though she gets world-class coaching from Kelly Kremer in Minnesota, there’s still something about her hometown Liquid Lightning coach that keeps her coming back.

“For this last bit I want to go back to Emil because he knows me so well and can sharpen up my breaststroke,” Smith said. “He’ll get me fine-tuned and ready to be the most confident I can be going into Olympic trials. I’m so lucky to have Emil as a coach. I switched clubs (from the Kelowna Aqua-Jets) to train with him when I was 14, even though he was on the other side of the lake.

Smith is a four-time individual Big Ten Champion and a three-time All-American, and will have one year of college eligibility left after competing this summer.

“I think the biggest thing with Kierra is her desire,” Minnesota coach Kremer told the Minnesota Daily. “She really wants to be the best, and I think that desire to get there is what makes her so good. She’s willing to do whatever it takes and commit to the highest level, and it shows in all aspects of her athletic performance.”

After taking a break in Florida at the Canadian trials, Smith returned to Minnesota this week to continue her training.

As she did last year, Smith will compete on the Mare Nostrum Tour France, Monaco and Barcelona in early June before returning to Kelowna for more training.

Then it’s on to Toronto for a training camp beginning July 22 . . . and continuing until she fulfills her commitments to those circled dates in Rio.

Honourable Mention: Parker Simson

Considered by many as one of the top all-around athletes — ever — to hail from Kelowna, Parker Simson was announced as the 2015 Augie Ciancone (male) Memorial award recipient at the Kelowna Civic Awards Ceremony earlier this week.

The Grade 12 Kelowna Secondary School student quarterbacked and captained the Owls’ football team and was named the B.C High School Football Association’s offensive player of the year. He was also nominated as the provincial defensive player of the year.

“Parker Simson is by far the most dedicated high school athlete I have ever met,” says his football coach, Mike Wolthuizen.

Meanwhile, Simson also was a starting guard for a third straight season with the KSS Owls’ basketball team, playing a significant role in capturing the first-ever B.C. high school quad-A title by an Okanagan team.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements and growing potential, the University of B.C. has provided Simson with a rare double scholarship — to play both football and basketball with the T-Birds beginning this fall.

Honourable Mention: Nicole Hart

A three-year member of Basketball BC’s provincial age-group teams, Nicole Hart earlier this month signed a letter of intent to play with the UBC Okanagan Heat beginning this fall.

Hart, also a valuable member of the highly touted Immaculata High School Mustangs the past three seasons, helped the senior team to two provincial basketball championships and a silver medal in the AA division this past season.

As well as being an all-star on the basketball court, the Grade 12 student played a significant role in Immaculata winning two straight B.C. School Sports senior A volleyball titles.

“Nicole’s ability to rise above the rest is very special,” said her basketball coach, Dino Ginni, who recommended her as the 2015 Augie Ciancone Memorial award winner (she was a finalist). “As well as being one of the best power forwards in the province, she has a very strong character on and off the court — coachable, driven and most importantly, a great person.”

Hart isn’t resting on her laurels. This spring she’s playing goal for the Immaculata Mustangs’ soccer team, expected to compete again for a provincial high school crown.