18 years after her Olympic breakthrough, Klassen is moved by swimmer McIntosh's pursuit of glory

Cindy Klassen's voice shakes when she talks about watching Summer McIntosh swim in the Olympic Games.

Klassen, whose five speedskating medals in 2006 is the most by a Canadian at a single Olympic Games, wants her four-year-old daughter Phoebe to see a young Canadian athlete chasing that kind of glory.

"To watch it with her, to think she could be inspired by athletes like Summer, I'm really excited about that," Klassen said. "It's a little moving."

Klassen won five medals, including gold in the 1,500 metres, over 13 days in Turin, Italy.

She was dubbed "the woman of the Games" by Jacques Rogge, who was president of the International Olympic Committee at that time.

WATCH | Klassen's Turin 2006 medal haul made her a Canadian Olympic legend:

Eighteen years later, Canada has another multi-medal talent on its hands.

McIntosh, a 17-year-old from Toronto, will race four individual events and likely a relay final or two starting July 27 in Paris. She's the world-record holder in the women's 400-metre individual medley.

"I don't think she needs any advice because she's just tearing it up," said Klassen, who is now 44.

"I would just say go out and have fun, enjoy the moment. It's easy to forget about having fun when you're racing all the time and you're so busy.

"I'm going to be so excited for her and proud of her. It could be such a great thing for all of Canada. There's a lot of people going through hard times right now and to be able to watch her, regardless of how she does, but if she gets five or six medals, it would be so uplifting for our country. It can bring people hope. I hope she can do it."

Their sports are different as are their schedules — McIntosh could swim a dozen times over nine days in Paris, as opposed to