Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Fall/Winter 2019 | Page 25

AT H L E T E P R O F I L E
Where is your favourite place to train?
I love to train in New Zealand. It’s a lot like Canada;
the people are friendly and outdoorsy. It’s easy to
escape and do other outdoor activities off the water.
There are also some really big rivers that I like to paddle.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
It would have to be Whistler or Squamish in British
Columbia. All the things I love doing, like paddling
and mountain biking, are right there.
What is the biggest difference in the approach
to competitive paddling in Canada?
One of the great things about the Canadian team is
the diversity, the openness and the support you get
from your teammates. We all want to win—but at the
same time, we’re always happy when other members
of the team do well.
What were the biggest challenges to get
Women’s C1 Slalom Canoe included in the
2020 Olympic Games?
The men’s competition has three different categories:
C1, K1 and C2. In order to add the Women’s C1 event,
the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stipulated
they had to give up the Men’s C2. Getting the IOC
and the International Canoe Federation on the same
page took a lot of work.
When was the saddest time of your life?
Last year was probably the lowest point: I had a
shoulder injury that was painful and was affecting my
results. I was going to require surgery and with the
Olympics so close, it was really stressful. I managed to
get myself into a better headspace with visualization
training, mindfulness and meditation.
When was the happiest time of your life?
I would have to say right now. I changed my approach
to training to something more holistic. I focus
on having fun, both on and off the water, and it’s
[brought me] the best results in my career.
What would you consider to be your greatest
accomplishment?
Absolutely, it’s being part of the equality movement
in sports and having a part in getting Women’s C1
included in the Olympics. I hope I’ll be able to use
that message to help make a difference in other areas
as well.
Outside of paddling, what’s on you bucket list?
I want to have kids at some point. I would also love
to make a documentary film on female athletes who
have had a big impact on their sports.
How will your approach to training for the Tokyo
Olympics be different compared to, say, the
Pan Am Games?
I treat every race as the most important thing I’m
doing at the time, so my approach won’t really be that
different. Participating in the Olympics with the debut
of Women’s CI will be a dream come true.
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