Athletes aged 14-25 got a chance to showcase their talents to Olympic talent scouts at the UBCO Gymnasium in Kelowna on Saturday.
The RBC Training Ground program aims to challenge young athletes as they undergo a variety of physical tests to see if they have what it takes to represent their country on the world stage.
“We are doing some sprint, endurance and some power (testing), just to try and gather some data on the athletes, which we will share with the sports department, in the hope that we can identify some future Olympians. Can find,” explained training ground manager, Andrew Latham, to RBC.
While being chosen to represent Canada at the Olympics may seem like a daunting task, the event has a history of success stories, as it has chosen and funded seven Canadian Olympic medalists, and Canada’s Olympic Games. The talent spotlight has put hundreds more.
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“Since 2016, we’ve tested 12,000 athletes and 1,500 of them have moved on to the next level,” Latham said.
“In the last cycle of the Olympics, we had five medals in the summer and three in the winter, so, it finds Olympians, but it also finds medalists.”
Among the athletes competing was Lake Country resident Brandon Harder, who had no idea the event was being hosted until it had already started. He quickly composed himself saying that the opportunity was too good to pass up.
“There’s just this slight chance that you might be admitted, it’s just once in a lifetime and so it’s something I just didn’t want to give up, and I had some free time, so I got myself Shot here and it was a great experience,” explained participant Brandon Harder.
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Meanwhile, for other athletes like Gabby Armstrong, competing in the Olympics has been a lifelong dream.
Armstrong said, “I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics to represent Canada, so right now, I’m just trying to figure out which sport.”
“It’s such a huge opportunity – seeing if we have the ability to compete with the best.”
After the conclusion of Saturday’s event, the results will be sent to a national sports organisation, where they will be analysed, and athletes who have been excluded may be contacted for possible testing and training.
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An athletic supporter with BC Rugby says she was impressed by some of the talent on display, but she wants to remind all participants that there is always room for improvement.
“As a coach, I always tell the kids to ‘control the things you can control’,” explained BC Rugby representative Lena Marten.
“So, if you were disappointed with a certain score, perhaps this is an opportunity to dig deep and work harder. never give up on your dream.”
Across Canada, up to 30 athletes per year can receive funding, resources and coaching, as well as support from the RBC and the Canadian Olympic Foundation.
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