Four Saskatchewan athletes will travel to Toronto for the RBC Training Ground Top 100 Final on October 3, after joining more than 3,000 other athletes ranging in age from 14 to 25 in testing their speed, strength, power and endurance at provincial qualifying events across the country.
The national final will serve as the last chance athletes have to prove their Olympic podium potential to the 16 National Sport Organization who partner with RBC Training Ground.
Here is what Saskatchewan’s athletes had to share ahead of attending the final:
What was your experience like at the provincial qualifier in Saskatoon?
It was a great experience. I was fortunate enough to drive up with a friend who was also competing, so we were able to experience it all together. I thought the event was very well organized, and the energy in the building was incredible. Being surrounded by so many talented athletes made the whole experience even more exciting and motivating. It also gave me a better understanding of what it feels like to compete in a high-level environment. It definitely made me want to keep pushing myself and see how far I can go.
What is your current sport, and has a National Sport Organization reached out to you since the provincial qualifier?
My current sport is track and field. Since the provincial qualifier, I’ve been contacted by Athletics Canada, Rowing, and Skeleton through RBC, as well as numerous universities regarding recruitment for their track programs.
I train every day with the goal of being at my best when it matters most. Track and field has helped me develop speed, explosiveness, strength, endurance, discipline, consistency and the ability to perform under pressure. I believe those skills, along with the work ethic and mental toughness I’ve developed through training and competition, will help me excel in whatever opportunities I pursue within sport.
I’m excited to start the track season, continue improving, and see how far I can take my abilities.
What are you feeling ahead of attending the Top 100 Final in Toronto?
I am beyond excited. I’ve been training every day in preparation for the competition. I’m locked in and focused on being in the best possible condition going into the fitness challenge.
I’ve been physically preparing for all the areas I’ll be tested in, so I feel confident that I’ll be ready when I get to Toronto. I’m also really excited to be surrounded by athletes who have competed at such a high level and to learn from that experience.
What do you hope to achieve at the final?
My goal is to perform at my highest level and place in the Top 35. I’m also really focused on improving my times from the previous qualifier and seeing how much I can push myself.
I’m looking forward to challenging myself, competing against some incredible athletes and seeing what I’m capable of when I’m pushed outside my comfort zone. Beyond the competition itself, I’m also excited to meet the Olympic alumni and other athletes, hear about their experiences, and learn from people who have competed at the highest level.
Most importantly, I want to leave Toronto knowing that I gave everything I had and took another step toward my long-term goal of competing at the Olympic level.
Attending the Top 100 is a step toward competing on the Olympic stage. Could you explain how it feels to be working your way to achieving your Olympic dream?
It feels amazing. This is exactly where I want to be. I’ve had the goal of competing at the 2032 Olympics, as well as competing at the 2028 U20 World Championships, so having an opportunity like this feels incredibly meaningful.
To be able to meet Olympic athletes, hear about their journeys and experience this environment firsthand is unreal. It makes the dream feel even more real and motivates me to keep working toward it. I know there is a lot of work ahead, but I’m excited for the journey and everything I can accomplish along the way.
What was your experience like at the provincial qualifier in Saskatoon?
The qualifier in Saskatoon was a lot of fun. I got to try out with some people I’ve met before while others were new to me, but everyone there was happy to get a chance to showcase their ability and was super supportive of each other. It was a great experience.
What is your current sport, and has a National Sport Organization reached out to you since the provincial qualifier?
I’m a track and field athlete, so I was super excited that Athletics Canada was the national sport team that was interested in me trying out. I think being a track athlete will really help me, especially with the speed-related tryout activities. I just hope where I am in my training program matches well with what I’ll need to do that day.
What are you feeling ahead of attending the Top 100 Final in Toronto?
I’m really excited to see other athletes from all over the country who are all chasing the next level in their respective sport. I also look forward to meeting some Olympians. It’s just a super exciting thing to be a part of.
What do you hope to achieve at the final?
Honestly, I have my eyes set on being one of the 35 lucky athletes that get sponsored to pursue their Olympic dreams. If I’m selected as one of them, I’ll be over the moon without a doubt.
Attending the Top 100 is a step toward competing on the Olympic stage. Could you explain how it feels to be working your way to achieving your Olympic dream?
It’s surreal to get this chance to chase after my Olympic dreams. Every child has dreamed of being an Olympian at one time or another, but so few get the opportunity. It’s taken me years to get to this point. Years of training, injuries, doubts, fears, triumph, and so much more. This is really just a reminder for me not to give up, to keep believing in myself and to keep pursuing my dreams. Honestly, it feels like a reminder that the work I’ve put in has mattered and I’m super grateful for that.
What was your experience like at the provincial qualifier in Saskatoon?
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I was going to go. My mom signed me up and told me I should go see what it was about. Once I was there it was fun and I knew a couple of people, so it made the time more enjoyable for me. I thought the activities we did were fun as I didn’t know what to expect going into it, but overall I am very glad that I went.
What is your current sport, and has a National Sport Organization reached out to you since the provincial qualifier?
My current sport is track and field, where I compete in long jump and sprinting. In track you need to be quick out of the blocks for your sprints, and I have a pretty quick start. I have been lucky to be a part of many provincial and national events because of my speed. Following the provincial qualifier, I was contacted by the national skeleton team, and I love it.
In order to qualify for their team, you have to be extremely fast off the start as well, so my sprinting training absolutely helped me get recognized. During their August camp, in Calgary, my push start time was 0.01 second off the national standard, which is cool. I am excited to go to Whistler in November to train at the Whistler Sliding Centre to see what I can do out there, and the speed I can get to on the actual track.
What are you feeling ahead of attending the Top 100 Final in Toronto?
I’m excited to see what I can do out there. Being chosen out of 3,000 athletes is a huge accomplishment and to be in the company of some of possibly the best future athletes/Olympic competitors is a super cool thing.
What do you hope to achieve at the final?
I am trying to become one of the top 35 athletes in the final so I can prove to myself that I do have the potential to be the best athlete I can be. As well as, the possibility of receiving funding to help me with my goals of making the national skeleton team and making Canada proud at their upcoming events.
Attending the Top 100 is a step toward competing on the Olympic stage. Could you explain how it feels to be working your way to achieving your Olympic dream?
I couldn’t even imagine this goal without trying out for the RBC provincial qualifier. I definitely wouldn’t have woken up one day and thought, “I’m going to become a skeleton athlete” without the performance I had when RBC was in Saskatoon. It never would have even been on my radar. Now, being on the skeleton team some people think the irony is funny as the idea of skeleton and going head-first down a sheet of ice, on a little sled, at potential speeds of 130 kilometres an hour may be dangerous, but I’ve also been hurt running in a straight line many times. To think being part of the team and possibly making the Olympics seems so far out of reach. However, I’m so proud of the fact that with almost no training other than being fast from track and almost making the standard time, it feels like a reality that could come true with some hard work and practice.
What was your experience like at the provincial qualifier in Saskatoon?
My experience at the qualifiers in Saskatoon was exciting, as I got to see where my strengths and weaknesses lie from a baseline level. Overall, it was a great experience that gave me a great opportunity.
What is your current sport, and has a National Sport Organization reached out to you since the provincial qualifier?
My current sport is track and field, and I have been reached out to by skeleton and bobsleigh. I believe my track and field background can transfer well into both sports, as they use similar techniques, especially during the first phase, which is the push. My experience with sprinting has helped me develop speed, power, explosiveness and strong technique, which I believe will help me excel in these sports.
What are you feeling ahead of attending the Top 100 Final in Toronto?
As we get closer to the finals, I’m super excited to go, see what I can do, meet new people and have fun. I’m really looking forward to the experience and making the most of this great opportunity.
What do you hope to achieve at the final?
Going into the finals in Toronto, my main goal is to stay present and do everything to the best of my ability. I want to make the most of the experience, take everything in and walk away feeling proud of myself and what I’ve accomplished.
Attending the Top 100 is a step toward competing on the Olympic stage. Could you explain how it feels to be working your way to achieving your Olympic dream?
I find it really exciting that the Olympics could be a possibility in my future. I’ve always seen the Olympics as a goal in my life, but I never knew which sport would take me there. The fact that it could potentially be skeleton is something I never would have guessed, and it makes this experience even more exciting and meaningful for me.