Olympic dreams born at RBC Training Ground event in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — When Kristy Davis confirmed as much as the RBC Coaching Floor occasion in P.E.I. just lately, she didn’t assume it will open a complete new path into sport, however the occasion, meant to establish athletic expertise, has her contemplating some large desires.
“I by no means noticed myself even near the Olympics, after which this chance got here, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, this might be a risk,’” stated Davis when SaltWire Community requested her in regards to the expertise.
Davis, 21, performs rugby with the Holland Hurricanes after competing at Hantz East Rural Excessive College, in Millford N.S., after which with neighborhood leagues.
When her rugby coach steered she head to the occasion, she stated she had, “completely nothing to lose.”
“Why not?” she requested herself.
After a bunch heat up, she and the opposite athletes went via 4 workouts: a beep check, vertical leap, 30-metre dash and energy check.
Nobody acquired particular suggestions on the occasion, however Davis stated employees had been encouraging.
“They simply saved cheering all people on, which was superior,” she stated.
The outcomes can be accessible on-line – to athletes in addition to nationwide sporting organizations searching for gifted people.
“In case your outcomes meet any of the criterias of any of the groups which can be (recruiting), these groups would attain out to the people,” stated Davis. “Even when a sport doesn’t attain out to you, it’s a great mentality check, too, simply to deliver your self to go and do it in entrance of all these folks.”
Davis plans to attend Acadia College within the fall, to finish a bachelor’s diploma and proceed enjoying rugby.
“I simply wish to see what I can do,” stated Davis, including she doesn’t have a particular aim in thoughts. “I simply know that I can preserve climbing and preserve doing higher.”
On the water
Kayaker Anna Negulic was in a position to flip her 2017 RBC Coaching Floor expertise right into a gold medal on the 2019 Pan American Video games and a spot on the nationwide crew. She was on the Charlottetown Coaching Grounds occasion as supporter.
“I had numerous enjoyable. It was actually nice to see so many individuals come out,” stated Negulic, a Nova Scotia-based kayaker when she spoke to SaltWire Community just lately. “It’s meant to be expertise identification and athlete funding, so for some folks it may be a whole change for them and a very large turning level as a result of it might probably establish your potential in perhaps a distinct sport you by no means thought of earlier than.”
Again in 2017, Negulic was transitioning from junior to senior competitors, and wanted to work onerous to realize ability and energy to compete towards the opposite senior athletes.
Her RBC Coaching Floor outcomes recognized her energy as a kayaker, and the funding, which was despatched to the nationwide sporting group, paid for coaching camps and competitions she wanted with a view to enhance to the extent she aspired to.
“Positively the funding was an enormous assist for me,” she stated.
Her onerous work paid off as properly, incomes her a spot on the Lima 2019 Pan Am Video games. There, she was positioned within the Ok-4 occasion – 4 folks in a kayak – alongside athletes she had spent years trying as much as.
“There’s a very direct timeline – I used to be with RBC Coaching Floor for these early life till I bought my large break on the senior degree and made the senior nationwide crew for the primary time.”
Negulic is now coaching with the nationwide kayak crew for the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games.
First, she’d like to compete within the Santiago 2023 Pan American video games in Chile.
“It’s the most important multi-sport video games for Canadian athletes earlier than the Olympics, truly. There’s the Canada Video games, then the Pam Am Video games after which the Olympics.”
