An athleteB次元官网网址檚 preparation to compete on sportB次元官网网址檚 biggest stage can feel consuming, and so Isabelle Weidemann found balance and perspective inside the emergency room of CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Foothills Hospital.
The long-track speedskater won a complete set of medals in Beijing, and was named CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag-bearer for SundayB次元官网网址檚 closing ceremonies.
The 26-year-old from Ottawa hopes to work in the health-care field and is contemplating medical school. She volunteered in the emergency room during the COVID-19 pandemic B次元官网网址� risky, perhaps, for one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 finest athletes ahead of the Games, but an experience she cherished.
B次元官网网址淚t gave me such a view of the outside world and of perspective,B次元官网网址� Weidemann said Sunday. B次元官网网址淚n sport, weB次元官网网址檙e often under this bubble of performance, and donB次元官网网址檛 look anywhere else, just focus on training and focus on performance and being elite, and you lose kind of track of the outside world.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 not the reality, especially during COVID, and volunteering just brought me back all the time. I struggle a little bit in sport, we focus on ourselves so, so much, especially an individual sport, and I want to be able to give back to the community and I really, really enjoyed it.B次元官网网址�
Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin and Val茅rie Maltais captured gold in the team pursuit. Weidemann added a silver in the 5,000 metres.
Her bronze in the 3,000 metres on Feb. 5 was CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first medal in Beijing, and so bookending her Games by leading CanadaB次元官网网址檚 team into BirdB次元官网网址檚 Nest Stadium was the perfect finish.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 never been something that I even thought IB次元官网网址檇 be able to do,B次元官网网址� Weidemann said on the flag-bearer honours. B次元官网网址淭hese Games have been so, so incredible. And I feel like every day, weB次元官网网址檙e piling on more and more and I havenB次元官网网址檛 quite processed it all. IB次元官网网址檓 having a lack of words and a lack of emotions and I have no tears left, IB次元官网网址檝e cried at every event now.
B次元官网网址淚 really look forward to kind of being able to go home and reflect on everything thatB次元官网网址檚 happened.B次元官网网址�
Weidemann is completing a combined degree in biology and geology at the University of Calgary, and said her schoolwork in Beijing was a welcome distraction. Part of her work was learning how to code.
B次元官网网址淎t the Olympics, you spend so much downtime as you kind of ramp into competing, and itB次元官网网址檚 very easy to get into your head a lot,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o I use school, often to kind of to distract me and to pull me out of that. (The schoolwork) was a little bit crazy, but I donB次元官网网址檛 regret it.B次元官网网址�
Weidemann took up her sport when she was 12. A B次元官网网址渢all gangly kid,B次元官网网址� she wasnB次元官网网址檛 particularly talented in sports, even speedskating. She has teammates now who used to lap her on the oval. SheB次元官网网址檚 not particularly co-ordinated, she said, nor good in the gym.
B次元官网网址淭here are so many like aspects of me that scream B次元官网网址榥ot athletic.B次元官网网址� You do what you can with what youB次元官网网址檝e got,B次元官网网址� said the six-foot-two skater.
B次元官网网址淚 did learn very quickly, if I worked harder, if I did more, I could be better,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 found that in school as well. I struggled a lot in school as a kid. I was hyperactive and didnB次元官网网址檛 work well in the classroom.B次元官网网址�
Weidemann narrowly missed a medal in the team pursuit in her Olympic debut in Pyeongchang. SheB次元官网网址檇 been so intent on climbing the medal podium, only to go home feeling B次元官网网址渧ery sour.B次元官网网址� Four years later, it was all about the process. The results took care of themselves.
B次元官网网址淭he last Olympic Games, I wanted to medal so badly. It didnB次元官网网址檛 happen. This Olympic Games, I went in thinking B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 here to skate my best. IB次元官网网址檓 here to show all the work that IB次元官网网址檝e done and be grateful for this opportunity. If that results in medals, then IB次元官网网址檒l be so happy with that. If it doesnB次元官网网址檛, then I will also be happy with that.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淕oing in with that predetermined B次元官网网址榯his is where IB次元官网网址檓 atB次元官网网址� gave me a lot of power and it allowed me to kind of find the flow in skating. Just let go and just skate and enjoy.B次元官网网址�
She shared the perspective from her Pyeongchang experience with teammates who were disappointed with their results in Beijing.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes we need a little bit of time away from the Games and performances, to be able to reflect and it took me a while to find happiness and pride in the way that I competed in 2018. You only get that from time away from the sport,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淚 have teammates who have been sad with their performances, but theyB次元官网网址檝e shared in my joy. ItB次元官网网址檚 been so special to be able to celebrate with them and for them to feel personally like they didnB次元官网网址檛 accomplish what they wanted to. But to then stand with me and share in my success. And thatB次元官网网址檚 meant so much.B次元官网网址�
Weidemann became the second Canadian long-track athlete to win more than two medals at a single Winter Games. Cindy Klassen won five medals in 2006.
B次元官网网址�(Weidemann) not only had incredible performances on the ice, she was also an amazing teammate through her support and positive attitude before, during and after competition,B次元官网网址� Catriona le May Doan, Team CanadaB次元官网网址檚 chef de mission, said in a statement.
Short-track speedskater Charles Hamelin and womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin carried the flag into the opening ceremonies on Feb. 4. They both went on to capture gold at the Games.
Damian Warner, who captured Olympic decathlon gold last summer, was CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag-bearer at the Tokyo closing ceremony.
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Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
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