Olympic trials preparation and outcome

Canmore, AB hill on the notorious 3.3km Loop

I have spent the majority of 14 years working towards one goal: to reach the Olympics in my chosen sport of Biathlon. Particularly, the last 4 years have been committed to competing in Sochi, Russia and I believe the next 4 will be focused on competing in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018.

For the Olympic Games this winter, the final fourth spot for the Men's Canadian Biathlon Team was selected based on two trials races over two days. I was in good form with an excellent summer of training but I had been nervous for the past several months. Managing the pressure was the toughest mental test I have experienced in my 24 years. I knew I had to perform my absolute best. Even if I could have the race of my life on the given selection day, I had no control over the results of a hungry pack of competitors all fighting for the same goal.

Months went by in suspense as I critiqued everything in my game plan. I had run through the races in my head so many times that the Canadian Olympic Trials races felt almost like a dream. I knew what I had to do, and I was ready to do it.

I am proud to say I finished the races with no regrets about the summer training, my preparation, and my performance. On the given day I gave everything I had and mastered (almost) everything in my control, and that is all we can ever ask for. After the final race I took a deserving few minutes to lie face down in the snow as my heart rate slowly crept down from just shy of 200BPM. I had finished the races ranked 2nd, and after a lifetime of training I was left sitting in that lonely first spot shy of the Canadian Team. The entire experience will stay with me for the rest of my life and hopefully drive me over the next four years towards the 2018 Winter Games.

In ten days I will be off on another new experience. my first World Cup start in Oberhof, Germany. In front of one of the biggest Biathlon stadiums in the world, Ill be very proud to wear the maple leaf and compete against the best of the best. The stadium fits around 10000 people with another 10000 spectators out on course!

Oberhof, Germany DKB Ski Arena

Approx. 10000 spectator stands