Reaching Olympic Dream is Hard Because There's Not Enough Money: Nick Wammes | Ep 95 - Gent's Talk

[00:00:00] What don't people understand about Olympians?

[00:00:05] There's a lot you don't see.

[00:00:08] Like what?

[00:00:09] And for a lot of them, like I said, there's more disappointment than success.

[00:00:15] And the Olympians that I know, everyone that I've met is just incredibly dedicated to what they do.

[00:00:22] They're not making a whole lot of money.

[00:00:24] There are some Olympians that do make a lot of money, but the majority of them don't.

[00:00:30] What do you think?

[00:00:49] A super humble, super kind guy.

[00:00:51] We're talking about Alan Pallander.

[00:00:54] Probably one of my favorite people to talk to because every time I see him, he's just so happy.

[00:00:59] He's just got this big smile on his face.

[00:01:02] But speaking of smiles, I am excited to have this conversation with you Nick because I'm always intrigued by diving into the psyche of an Olympian

[00:01:14] and what it takes to be an Olympian and perform at the level that you have to perform at.

[00:01:20] One of my closest friends is also currently in the process of competing to get onto, I guess what's the right terminology?

[00:01:31] He's competing in tournaments to secure a spot in Paris for Canadian beach volleyball.

[00:01:38] Trying to gain a quota spot basically.

[00:01:40] Yeah.

[00:01:41] He's in Qatar right now, I think, playing in a tournament.

[00:01:45] But I wanted to get to know your story a little bit because people see Nick the Olympian, but who's the man behind the Olympian?

[00:01:58] Just a small town kid with a dream really.

[00:02:02] I've been doing this sport for a long time.

[00:02:04] Sorry when I was 12 and 24 now.

[00:02:07] It took a lot of years to gain the experience, the time, the training to get to where I am today.

[00:02:15] I grew up in the small southern Ontario town, about 1,000 people, big hockey town.

[00:02:22] Didn't play a lot of sports growing up, just some community sports, soccer, volleyball, basketball.

[00:02:27] Nothing really that big until I found cycling.

[00:02:31] It was kind of like a happen by chance.

[00:02:34] It was never really part of the plan.

[00:02:36] I was at this leadership camp in Aurelia, OELC.

[00:02:40] I got selected and I was in grade 7, I think it was.

[00:02:43] We were driving back.

[00:02:44] We stopped in Vaughan at Montana, I think it was.

[00:02:47] And the Tokyo 20, or try not Tokyo, sorry, the London 2012 Olympics were on.

[00:02:52] Women's team pursuit was going for bronze medal against, I think it was the US at the time.

[00:02:57] I said, what is this sport?

[00:02:59] That's what you mean.

[00:03:00] That was the catalyst.

[00:03:03] I just intrigued by the speed, racing around this wooden indoor track.

[00:03:07] What is this? This is crazy. You need to see what's more of this.

[00:03:10] Found it as a small track in London, Ontario.

[00:03:13] I said, mom, we're going.

[00:03:15] I was 12 years old and I'm going, you're a bit crazy.

[00:03:18] We ventured out there one Saturday and just kind of amazed by how steep the track was, how small it was, how tight it was.

[00:03:25] There was someone there that said, hey, do you want to try it?

[00:03:27] I said, yeah, I'm going to try it.

[00:03:29] I got on the bike that day and just started riding around in circles.

[00:03:32] I did a few drills, got on the track and never really looked back to be honest.

[00:03:36] Do you ever remind your mom of...

[00:03:38] Oh, she tells the story quite well.

[00:03:40] She tells the story quite well.

[00:03:42] She was how horrified she was of the 45 degree banking and just that you're not riding this.

[00:03:47] There's no way you're getting on a fixed year bike with no brakes.

[00:03:50] There's no brakes on these things?

[00:03:52] No, no brakes. One gear, no brakes.

[00:03:54] Direct drive, no coasting.

[00:03:57] I guess, yeah. When would you ever really brake and you're just trying to go for it?

[00:04:03] Yeah, essentially it's more dangerous to have brakes on than to not have brakes.

[00:04:06] You basically control the speed with your feet.

[00:04:08] You kind of have to back pedal to slow down.

[00:04:11] You can't coast.

[00:04:14] If you could coast, there'd be crashes all the time because there would just be people stop pedaling

[00:04:18] and you bring yourself up because you're basically controlled by a centrifugal force being stuck on the boards.

[00:04:23] So yeah, if you pull the brakes you'd slide out and go down the track.

[00:04:27] There'd be a lot more crashes that way.

[00:04:29] It's a safety aspect as well just to the sport.

[00:04:31] Makes the sport sound a lot more dangerous.

[00:04:34] Yeah, I always say that this sport looks beautiful until things go wrong

[00:04:40] because when things go wrong they go really wrong.

[00:04:42] Everything looks great until it doesn't.

[00:04:45] Have you ever had an accident?

[00:04:47] I've had a few, yeah.

[00:04:49] I'm not going on wood. I haven't had one in a long time.

[00:04:50] I had two bad crashes in 2015 basically back to back.

[00:04:55] There was one I was at home training on the road,

[00:04:57] along my track bike and fixed it here like I said.

[00:05:00] I decided to stop pedaling.

[00:05:02] I guess I just didn't have the cue in my mind that it was not my road bike

[00:05:05] and I stopped pedaling at probably 50k an hour

[00:05:08] and it just bucked me off my bike basically

[00:05:10] and tumbled, broke my collarbone,

[00:05:13] had a pretty minor concussion but yeah,

[00:05:15] I have a plate and six screws still in here since 2015.

[00:05:17] So there was that one I recovered from that one

[00:05:20] and then I crashed that fall or that, yeah,

[00:05:23] I guess that winter December on the track in London.

[00:05:27] I was going too fast and something, something happened.

[00:05:30] I lost control and I went up and hit the railing.

[00:05:33] My bars locked onto the railing and spun my bike around

[00:05:36] and I got tossed down the track.

[00:05:38] I basically out for a couple hours.

[00:05:41] I woke up in the hospital the next morning.

[00:05:43] Wow.

[00:05:45] And that's pretty like about a six week recovery

[00:05:47] and I had a concussion on that one.

[00:05:49] So, haven't had a big one since just a couple little slide-outs

[00:05:53] some rashes and stuff like that but nothing major since then.

[00:05:56] So, been thankful that way.

[00:05:58] Oh absolutely.

[00:06:00] And I'm glad to hear that there hasn't been anything since

[00:06:02] and like you said knock on wood that there isn't anything going forward.

[00:06:06] It's interesting to me

[00:06:09] whenever someone suffers from an injury of some kind

[00:06:15] there's always that initial recalibration period afterwards.

[00:06:19] Right?

[00:06:21] Like what's going through your mind as you get back on the bike for the first time

[00:06:23] after that incident.

[00:06:25] Do you remember what that was like?

[00:06:27] Like the first few thoughts that you had as you're about to get back on a bike

[00:06:29] or was it just a seamless?

[00:06:31] I think I was still pretty young at that point.

[00:06:33] I was eager to kind of just get back and get back into it.

[00:06:36] More recently though, I injured my back in the build to Tokyo actually.

[00:06:40] Okay.

[00:06:42] Pretty like, it's hard to, basically my SI joint got stuck.

[00:06:45] The SI joint is?

[00:06:47] Basically like low back.

[00:06:49] And no one could figure out what was going on with me.

[00:06:51] I basically got to a point where I couldn't walk anymore.

[00:06:53] It was just so painful to get up and move and walk.

[00:06:56] That was in the build up to the Tokyo Olympics.

[00:06:58] That was basically four or five months out from the Olympic Games.

[00:07:01] And I was just kind of an injury that progressively got worse.

[00:07:05] It was a month between Kyro's, Physio's, Massage Therapist, X-rays being done.

[00:07:11] No one could figure out what was happening with my back.

[00:07:13] I just slowly progressively got worse.

[00:07:15] That was a daunting experience because I was in the build to my first Olympic Games.

[00:07:19] I already been selected.

[00:07:21] We were already doing that extra year of training basically.

[00:07:23] It took me going home to my chiropractor in Chatham actually and kind of figured out what was wrong.

[00:07:27] And got unlocked and got into a rehab process of basically rebuilding.

[00:07:31] It took me about a month to rebuild.

[00:07:33] I was out of the gym, off the bike, basically doing like 30 minute spins.

[00:07:37] All I could do on the bike and it was so painful.

[00:07:40] But that was a more daunting experience for sure.

[00:07:45] But it just wasn't going to work out and that was it.

[00:07:48] There was a real thought to my mind at the point that I wouldn't be going to the Olympics.

[00:07:52] How did you persist through that?

[00:07:56] That was tough.

[00:07:58] I think it's like, that one was tough.

[00:08:03] Yeah, it's hard to kind of bring that one up because you build so long.

[00:08:07] My dream as a kid was always to go to the Olympic Games and we were so close.

[00:08:10] I mean you had the extra year of training, kind of a tough battle to get through when we realized the games were postponed.

[00:08:15] Got an extra year to train.

[00:08:17] I was in a really, really tight battle with my teammates.

[00:08:19] We were going back and forth all the time.

[00:08:21] We had the two spots where we were both going but we were kind of battling it out and training every single day.

[00:08:25] I wanted to be faster and then the injury happened.

[00:08:28] Yeah, that one was tough.

[00:08:31] It's one of those things you kind of have to just push through and take day by day.

[00:08:35] It's not something you really have control over until once it's happened.

[00:08:39] It's basically how you can control coming back from it.

[00:08:42] And I just leaned on my team around me a lot.

[00:08:46] My partner Sarah really helped me get through that.

[00:08:49] She was amazing through the whole process, like just being there to support through the whole thing.

[00:08:53] Mike Hiro, my team of physios.

[00:08:56] Like it just, the coaches were all very supportive.

[00:08:59] It just took a big team to get me back on the bike after that one.

[00:09:02] Kind of more figuratively speaking.

[00:09:04] A mental game.

[00:09:06] Mental game for sure.

[00:09:08] I actually thought I might not go to the games.

[00:09:09] The staff wouldn't let on that they were scared but they were also nervous.

[00:09:15] Our head coach after the games, once I had finished competing in Tokyo,

[00:09:19] he told me, he had to be like, you know, I was worried.

[00:09:22] I was worried you might not have been here this week because when I saw you,

[00:09:26] when I showed up, because he's from New Zealand,

[00:09:28] so he came in like later, he came basically for the final build into Tokyo.

[00:09:32] He's like, when I got here and you're doing 30 minute roller sessions,

[00:09:34] that's all you could do.

[00:09:36] I was a little bit nervous.

[00:09:37] But yeah, we just got it done.

[00:09:39] Just took a day by day and session by session got back to doing,

[00:09:43] being actually at my best in Tokyo.

[00:09:45] I never performed that level to what I did in Tokyo.

[00:09:48] When you heard your coach say those words to you,

[00:09:51] what went through your mind?

[00:09:53] What'd you feel?

[00:09:55] It was tough because it was like after the Kieran in Tokyo,

[00:10:00] I was on the roller cooling down.

[00:10:02] I kind of had to have a great performance in the Kieran.

[00:10:04] I did a good performance in sprint, like a personal best in the qualifying,

[00:10:05] for sprint.

[00:10:07] There's two events I did, the sprint and the Kieran.

[00:10:09] Sorry, can you clarify what the difference between the two events?

[00:10:11] So basically, the sprint event is a two person event.

[00:10:14] You basically do a 200 meter qualifier,

[00:10:16] so you go on the track by yourself and you do a qualifying lap,

[00:10:18] get seated based on your time.

[00:10:21] And you basically go one versus one to get down to like the later rounds

[00:10:24] to fight for the medals.

[00:10:26] Whereas Kieran, it's basically,

[00:10:28] you get put into heats of six riders.

[00:10:31] Those six riders line up behind a Derny,

[00:10:33] which is basically a motorbike, electric motorbike on the track

[00:10:35] and it brings you up to speed 50 kilometers an hour.

[00:10:38] And then pulls off the track with three laps to go.

[00:10:40] And basically all the six riders fight it out

[00:10:42] for first one to be across the line.

[00:10:44] Wow.

[00:10:46] So I just finished Kieran when he came up to me at this point

[00:10:48] and I finished, I think like 25th, 24th in the Kieran,

[00:10:52] which is out of 30 guys, it's not that great.

[00:10:54] I was a little bit nervous going into that event

[00:10:56] and so I think I was a little disappointed in myself.

[00:10:58] So kind of have him come up to me

[00:11:00] and say that was like a little bit reassuring,

[00:11:02] but I kind of just kind of went in one ear note

[00:11:03] at the other at that point

[00:11:05] because I was kind of disappointed in my performance.

[00:11:07] How did you turn it around then?

[00:11:09] How did you like get out of your own way?

[00:11:12] Yeah, I don't know.

[00:11:14] It was kind of a weird like year with Tokyo

[00:11:16] because obviously that gap we usually have

[00:11:18] after the games we didn't have.

[00:11:21] And I think it took me a long time to process

[00:11:23] what he had said because I took 10 days off

[00:11:25] after the games in Tokyo

[00:11:27] and then I went straight onto a Nations Cup

[00:11:29] in Columbia to qualify for World Championships

[00:11:31] was that fall.

[00:11:33] And then back to back.

[00:11:35] It wasn't until that I finished Worlds in Roubaix

[00:11:39] that you're in France that I kind of sat down

[00:11:41] and thought, shit, like what a crazy year that was.

[00:11:44] And that's when I started to really process

[00:11:46] the injury and like Tokyo

[00:11:48] and going to Nations Cup,

[00:11:50] winning a first Nations Cup that we had to win

[00:11:52] in order to qualify to World Championships

[00:11:54] and then getting to Worlds

[00:11:56] and just being like absolutely spent mentally, physically.

[00:11:58] I was done by the time we finished World Champs

[00:12:00] and it was hard to get on the line

[00:12:01] in Roubaix.

[00:12:03] It was just like I think I was so exhausted mentally

[00:12:06] from that period of time leading into the games

[00:12:10] and between the injury and then getting there

[00:12:13] and then going through it.

[00:12:15] I was definitely blocking it out.

[00:12:18] I mean you're talking about the Olympic Games

[00:12:20] which is like the pinnacle of our sport.

[00:12:22] Like I said, once I finished Worlds

[00:12:26] I kind of started to process what had happened

[00:12:28] in the last year.

[00:12:29] I was still with the pandemic

[00:12:31] and everything's going on in the world

[00:12:33] and the shit that I had to go through

[00:12:35] is just to get on the line in Tokyo

[00:12:37] and once I finished Worlds

[00:12:39] and processed everything that I went through it,

[00:12:41] yeah, it hit me.

[00:12:43] It was a tough couple weeks after.

[00:12:45] Everyone always talks about like the post games let down.

[00:12:47] Mine was almost the post worlds let down

[00:12:49] because I basically didn't shut off from

[00:12:51] June 2020 to October 2021.

[00:12:56] That's a long time.

[00:12:57] It was a long time.

[00:12:59] Yeah, it took a lot out of me for sure.

[00:13:01] What did you learn from all that?

[00:13:03] When you finally had that moment to sit down

[00:13:05] and think to yourself,

[00:13:09] I just need to find balance.

[00:13:11] Like it was, at that time too we were still living

[00:13:14] with like teammates and team houses basically.

[00:13:17] So that was a bit mentally draining as well

[00:13:19] and you're just in the environment

[00:13:21] and like it was like with the pandemic

[00:13:23] everyone was confined.

[00:13:25] You know, we were all kind of in that bubble per se.

[00:13:27] It was a very exhausting 18 months of

[00:13:30] everything that went on from early 2020 to the end of 2021.

[00:13:36] Do you ever think about packing it in?

[00:13:38] Just like, you know what, this took so much out of me.

[00:13:41] I've never been that way because I always said that

[00:13:43] when I was kid I would say I want to do three Olympics.

[00:13:46] Okay.

[00:13:48] I want to do 2028 could be the exit.

[00:13:50] I don't know, I could go longer at this point.

[00:13:52] I don't know, retiring at 28 in this sport

[00:13:54] would be pretty young.

[00:13:55] A lot of guys last until like 30, 32.

[00:14:00] Some people exit younger depends on like their success

[00:14:03] and the sport and how long their body can take.

[00:14:05] But I have the unique situation that I've also been in

[00:14:09] sport for a very long time.

[00:14:11] I've been doing it since I was 12 which is long.

[00:14:13] By the time I get to LA hopefully that'll be

[00:14:17] 2028.

[00:14:19] So Paris this year, 2020 ABLA that'll be 10 years

[00:14:22] for me at the elite level.

[00:14:24] Which is the toll on your body.

[00:14:26] I can only imagine.

[00:14:28] It's tough, just constantly.

[00:14:30] We train a lot.

[00:14:32] What's your training regimen like?

[00:14:34] Right now we train five days a week twice a day.

[00:14:36] Monday, Wednesday, Friday we lift in the morning.

[00:14:40] Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon we do track

[00:14:44] in the afternoon and then Tuesday Thursday mornings

[00:14:46] we do track in the afternoon.

[00:14:48] And then Wednesday we have like an aerobic session

[00:14:49] like a road ride or an aerobic track session

[00:14:52] and treatment on that day as well like massage.

[00:14:54] So how do you fund all of this?

[00:14:57] Because the conversation I had with Daniel,

[00:15:02] the beach volleyball player is he has to sell fund

[00:15:05] a lot of it.

[00:15:07] Fund raising, sponsorship.

[00:15:09] I am carded at senior elite level because I am like

[00:15:12] based on my performance I am carded by the government.

[00:15:14] And that allocates you a certain amount right?

[00:15:16] Yeah allocates me.

[00:15:17] I have 21,000 a year which is enough to survive.

[00:15:21] Survive?

[00:15:23] If that.

[00:15:25] Everything else is self funded like I lean a lot

[00:15:27] of my social media like partnerships, brand deals,

[00:15:29] sponsors.

[00:15:31] You have to.

[00:15:33] You have to build that and my partner Sarah and I

[00:15:35] we've been focusing on that a lot the last few years

[00:15:37] and building social media and building our brands

[00:15:39] and working with brands and doing those brand deals

[00:15:41] because it's so important to have that money

[00:15:43] to live like 21,000 dollars a year is not a whole

[00:15:46] lot to be able to pay rent in the GTA which is expensive.

[00:15:49] We live in Milton and I mean rent is expensive.

[00:15:53] We basically have to be here because we train at a

[00:15:55] national training facility like we have to

[00:15:57] Where's the facility?

[00:15:59] In Milton.

[00:16:01] Madden National Cycling Center but we basically need

[00:16:03] to be here to train on the track.

[00:16:06] We train on the track every day whereas the

[00:16:08] endurance riders as well they'll come in for

[00:16:10] camps and competition preps and but they

[00:16:12] can kind of go home and do their own thing

[00:16:13] for the other weeks of the year that they're

[00:16:15] not training in Milton.

[00:16:17] We're at the last where they're a year round.

[00:16:19] We live in Milton. Milton's home for me now.

[00:16:21] So this training regiment that you're in right

[00:16:23] now

[00:16:26] you said today is a day off.

[00:16:28] Today is a day off.

[00:16:30] What do you do on a day off other than come

[00:16:32] in for a contest?

[00:16:34] Which now I feel bad about because I brought

[00:16:36] you in on your day off.

[00:16:38] No for sure and it's like rest is so

[00:16:40] important for us right now like we're

[00:16:41] going to go to Los Angeles and of March

[00:16:44] and then I have the home Nations Cup in

[00:16:46] Milton middle of April.

[00:16:48] So right now we kind of finished like a

[00:16:50] development block of training that we

[00:16:52] did after we came back from Australia

[00:16:54] earlier in February.

[00:16:56] It's kind of like a transition week before

[00:16:58] we get into like a pre-competitive

[00:17:00] phase leading into Pan Am Champs in LA

[00:17:02] and Milton Nations Cup.

[00:17:04] So kind of had a bit of a modified

[00:17:06] training schedule this week.

[00:17:08] So this morning I slept in got up at

[00:17:09] Sarah had training today so I got we got

[00:17:12] up made coffee.

[00:17:14] Sarah is also a cyclist.

[00:17:16] She's basically the same role as me

[00:17:18] on the women's side.

[00:17:20] She's sprinter as well.

[00:17:22] So we basically do the same thing all

[00:17:24] the time.

[00:17:26] We're together all the time so she

[00:17:28] trained today so we got up made

[00:17:30] coffee this morning and then she

[00:17:32] went to training and I basically

[00:17:34] just laid on the couch for two

[00:17:36] hours, filmed some reels this

[00:17:37] morning and then we started

[00:17:39] doing a partner that's in the same

[00:17:41] field as you.

[00:17:43] I imagine it allows you there's

[00:17:45] almost an unspoken understanding

[00:17:47] of the challenges that sometimes

[00:17:49] you don't always have to articulate

[00:17:51] them in so many words because

[00:17:53] they're just that natural

[00:17:55] understanding of what you're going

[00:17:57] through.

[00:17:59] I think we're pretty good in that

[00:18:01] way like she sees the good days

[00:18:03] and the bad days and I have the

[00:18:05] same thing for seeing what she

[00:18:07] doesn't do together.

[00:18:09] Between travel we go all the same

[00:18:10] races, our training schedule is

[00:18:11] basically the same.

[00:18:13] We do all of our content together.

[00:18:15] Yeah.

[00:18:17] That's awesome.

[00:18:19] Yeah it's really good.

[00:18:21] And you're lucky in that sense.

[00:18:23] We've been able to build a

[00:18:25] pretty successful business and

[00:18:27] we know we go through on a

[00:18:29] daily basis so it's pretty cool

[00:18:31] in that sense.

[00:18:33] So you're gearing up for

[00:18:35] the Paris 2024 Olympics this

[00:18:38] year.

[00:18:40] What's one thing that you know

[00:18:42] that you learned from Tokyo

[00:18:44] that you're bringing with you

[00:18:46] in your quest for Paris?

[00:18:50] I've been thinking about this

[00:18:52] a lot recently because it's

[00:18:54] when I was building into Tokyo

[00:18:56] I was not really at the

[00:18:58] forefront of the qualifying

[00:19:00] process.

[00:19:02] I was still a very much a young

[00:19:04] developing athlete and I didn't

[00:19:05] really know what I was doing.

[00:19:07] At the last Nations Cup, the

[00:19:08] last World Cup we had in

[00:19:10] Melton, home Nations Cup

[00:19:12] and I was the fastest qualifier

[00:19:14] for our team.

[00:19:16] That's the funny one I got to the

[00:19:18] top of the Canadian team.

[00:19:20] Whereas before like there's

[00:19:22] still that long qualifying

[00:19:23] process before that so the guys

[00:19:25] that were ahead of me before

[00:19:27] were doing a lot of the points

[00:19:29] and accumulating the points

[00:19:31] and going to all the races

[00:19:33] that I wasn't going to while

[00:19:35] being a modified quad with the

[00:19:37] three years of.

[00:19:39] I've been at the front the entire

[00:19:41] time.

[00:19:43] I've been leading the team

[00:19:45] I guess you could say.

[00:19:47] A lot of the team now is younger

[00:19:49] than me and trying to guide

[00:19:51] this team and do the points

[00:19:53] we need to do and go to all the

[00:19:55] races and stuff like that's

[00:19:57] been a bit more challenging.

[00:19:59] It's been like a new challenge

[00:20:01] for me.

[00:20:03] How do you not take your foot

[00:20:05] and what's the difference?

[00:20:07] I was leading into Tokyo.

[00:20:09] I was just always building, always

[00:20:11] learning basically everything

[00:20:13] I was doing I was just getting

[00:20:14] faster and stronger the more

[00:20:16] training I did but this time

[00:20:18] I've like had to focus

[00:20:20] more on being intentional

[00:20:22] and like when you're developing

[00:20:24] athlete the gains come much

[00:20:26] using what they come now.

[00:20:28] Now everything's got you got

[00:20:30] you're I'm thinking so much

[00:20:32] more about like recovery

[00:20:33] and I'm just like I'm just

[00:20:35] getting a little bit of the

[00:20:37] coach just to make sure that

[00:20:39] I'm getting everything out of

[00:20:40] it you know everything's

[00:20:41] taken account like even today

[00:20:42] coming into Toronto like how

[00:20:44] how is that affecting my

[00:20:46] recovery.

[00:20:48] Everything is taken into account

[00:20:50] or before I never really had

[00:20:52] that I was always just

[00:20:54] doing whatever I was training

[00:20:56] developing and getting faster

[00:20:58] whereas when you get later on

[00:21:00] into your career the gains

[00:21:01] are going to take you into

[00:21:03] account and I think

[00:21:05] do you like living in that

[00:21:07] in that world and that

[00:21:09] environment where it's a lonely

[00:21:11] world.

[00:21:13] It's a lonely world that's for

[00:21:15] sure.

[00:21:17] I mean like everything we do

[00:21:19] like our social circle is not

[00:21:21] that big at all like we don't

[00:21:23] do a lot of extra curriculars

[00:21:25] I guess you could say

[00:21:27] we yeah we a lot of our time

[00:21:29] we spend on the couch resting

[00:21:31] both Sarah and I are so driven

[00:21:33] and like so motivated for

[00:21:35] the goals that we want to do in

[00:21:36] this sport.

[00:21:38] They're just real okay with it

[00:21:40] and we know

[00:21:42] why we're doing what we're doing.

[00:21:44] So in those moments

[00:21:46] when you notice the loneliness

[00:21:49] how do you keep yourself

[00:21:51] motivated.

[00:21:53] I think that's probably why

[00:21:55] like the social media contents

[00:21:57] come in so much like it's been

[00:21:59] like a almost an outlet

[00:22:00] for both of us

[00:22:02] just kind of having that balance

[00:22:04] earlier on in my career I didn't

[00:22:06] do a whole lot like social

[00:22:07] media based and I would kind

[00:22:09] of just learning photography

[00:22:10] and videography like late

[00:22:12] 2018 2019 wasn't really taking

[00:22:14] the whole social media thing

[00:22:16] seriously.

[00:22:18] Just I was just watching a lot

[00:22:20] of Netflix laying in bed

[00:22:22] between sessions just kind of

[00:22:24] I mean I was 18 19 I just

[00:22:26] was happy to be training

[00:22:28] didn't really you know wasn't

[00:22:30] really really focused on building

[00:22:31] the other part of my career

[00:22:33] because you know sport doesn't

[00:22:34] last forever

[00:22:36] and making sure that I'm

[00:22:37] developing that in a

[00:22:39] timely fashion I guess you could

[00:22:40] say is pretty important to me.

[00:22:42] So having that balance

[00:22:44] has been something that we've

[00:22:45] been able to put time into

[00:22:47] and just help to sort of

[00:22:49] ease the pressure on the mind

[00:22:51] as we're training.

[00:22:53] Obviously the goal

[00:22:55] going into Paris is to win

[00:22:56] I've had a few conversations now

[00:22:59] with athletes about

[00:23:01] what happens when they

[00:23:03] reach for a goal and it doesn't

[00:23:05] necessarily translate

[00:23:07] or how they

[00:23:08] essentially mentally prepare

[00:23:10] for that battle.

[00:23:12] Right the possibility that

[00:23:13] you don't achieve the goal

[00:23:14] that you've been working so

[00:23:16] hard for and the possibility

[00:23:17] that you come out on top

[00:23:18] and you're king in the

[00:23:19] world type of thing

[00:23:20] and almost not letting

[00:23:21] yourself go too negative

[00:23:23] or too positive because

[00:23:24] you don't want to get too

[00:23:25] comfortable thinking it's

[00:23:26] going to work out and you also

[00:23:27] don't want to make yourself

[00:23:28] feel like shit.

[00:23:30] Where do you fall in that

[00:23:31] spectrum?

[00:23:33] I think

[00:23:36] you almost need to be okay

[00:23:37] with losing in the sport

[00:23:39] I don't want to say okay

[00:23:40] with losing but you have to

[00:23:41] learn to accept disappointment

[00:23:42] and how to deal with it

[00:23:43] because at the end of the

[00:23:44] day it's only three medals

[00:23:45] per event

[00:23:47] you don't get medals for

[00:23:48] four, five, six, seven,

[00:23:49] seven all the way up to ten

[00:23:50] there's three medals

[00:23:52] and there's usually

[00:23:53] 30-35 guys competing

[00:23:59] yeah I guess it's something

[00:24:00] you have to

[00:24:02] to learn to manage disappointment

[00:24:05] because I've been disappointed

[00:24:06] in the sport more times

[00:24:07] than I've been satisfied

[00:24:10] and I think it's just

[00:24:12] latching onto the good moments

[00:24:14] in last fall we were in

[00:24:16] Chile for Pan Am Games

[00:24:17] and we won the team sprint

[00:24:18] which was a huge goal of us

[00:24:20] of ours for the team

[00:24:22] and we did it and it's just like

[00:24:23] it was a huge moment for us

[00:24:26] you can just latch on to those

[00:24:27] good moments

[00:24:28] I was talking earlier about

[00:24:29] going to Columbia for the Nations Cup

[00:24:31] after the Olympics

[00:24:33] we had to win that event

[00:24:35] to go to Worlds

[00:24:36] in Rebe that fall

[00:24:37] and we did it

[00:24:38] we won

[00:24:39] we did a national record

[00:24:40] in terms of time

[00:24:41] and we won the event

[00:24:42] we won gold medal

[00:24:43] that was my first time

[00:24:44] winning a World Cup

[00:24:46] you just hold on to those

[00:24:47] good moments

[00:24:48] and kind of just

[00:24:49] keep chasing it every time

[00:24:51] yeah

[00:24:53] the point you make about

[00:24:55] there's a lot more disappointments

[00:24:56] and there are successes

[00:24:57] I think is part of what

[00:24:59] a lot of people don't see

[00:25:00] when they look at

[00:25:01] Olympians right

[00:25:03] it's the same way when someone

[00:25:04] achieves some measure of success

[00:25:05] and you put it on your social media

[00:25:07] they don't see the hard work

[00:25:08] and the nose

[00:25:09] and the rejections

[00:25:10] and the failures

[00:25:11] and the almosts

[00:25:12] that let up

[00:25:14] so

[00:25:16] are you at a point

[00:25:17] where you're

[00:25:18] qualified if that's the right word

[00:25:19] for Paris

[00:25:21] not yet

[00:25:22] what has to happen

[00:25:23] so basically like I said

[00:25:24] Pan Am Champs coming up

[00:25:26] in Los Angeles

[00:25:27] end of April

[00:25:28] sorry, end of March

[00:25:31] basically we're trying to qualify

[00:25:32] the team sprint

[00:25:33] which is a timed event

[00:25:34] with three riders

[00:25:36] basically all trying to

[00:25:37] drop each other

[00:25:38] we race it as a team

[00:25:39] three riders

[00:25:40] P1 leads us off

[00:25:41] I'm P2

[00:25:42] follows

[00:25:43] and I try to drop

[00:25:44] P3 as fast as possible

[00:25:45] the total time

[00:25:46] of three laps

[00:25:47] is taken

[00:25:48] and then basically

[00:25:49] ranks you

[00:25:50] so we're trying to qualify

[00:25:51] through that event

[00:25:52] where the top eight teams

[00:25:53] in the world

[00:25:54] get to go to Paris

[00:25:55] for the Olympics

[00:25:56] if we do that

[00:25:57] we qualify

[00:25:58] full quota spots

[00:25:59] for Canada

[00:26:00] which would be three men

[00:26:02] if we don't qualify

[00:26:03] the team sprint

[00:26:04] we need to qualify

[00:26:05] individually

[00:26:06] basically through sprint

[00:26:07] or through Kieran

[00:26:10] and if we do that

[00:26:11] we either have

[00:26:12] one or two spots

[00:26:13] depending on that

[00:26:14] and once we

[00:26:15] earn those quota spots

[00:26:16] then we need to be selected

[00:26:17] to the team

[00:26:18] by Canada

[00:26:20] so like

[00:26:21] you can

[00:26:22] wow that's a lot

[00:26:23] it's a lot you got to do

[00:26:24] just to qualify

[00:26:26] and then

[00:26:27] get your head in the right space

[00:26:28] so we started this process

[00:26:29] last February

[00:26:30] in Indonesia

[00:26:32] for the first Nations Cup

[00:26:33] of basically

[00:26:34] 14 month qualifying process

[00:26:37] last February

[00:26:38] last February

[00:26:39] we started

[00:26:40] there's seven events total

[00:26:41] we have to do

[00:26:42] around the world

[00:26:44] so

[00:26:45] um

[00:26:48] okay

[00:26:49] sorry

[00:26:50] I'm just thinking about

[00:26:51] like the length of time

[00:26:52] that you have to

[00:26:53] yeah it's a lot

[00:26:54] it's a big challenge

[00:26:56] and then the mental grind

[00:26:57] I could only imagine

[00:26:59] last season

[00:27:00] like I said

[00:27:01] we started in February

[00:27:02] in Jakarta

[00:27:03] and then we had

[00:27:04] about a six week build

[00:27:05] into our home Nations Cup

[00:27:06] in Milton

[00:27:07] we're very fortunate

[00:27:08] because we get to have

[00:27:09] a home Nations Cup

[00:27:10] each year

[00:27:11] whereas some people don't

[00:27:12] we did a three year deal

[00:27:13] with the UCI

[00:27:14] 23 and 24

[00:27:16] so we have two

[00:27:17] of the seven events

[00:27:18] our home Nations Cup

[00:27:19] for us

[00:27:20] which is big for us

[00:27:21] it's brilliant

[00:27:22] that we're not going to travel

[00:27:23] so last year

[00:27:24] we did Jakarta

[00:27:25] then Milton

[00:27:26] which was six weeks apart

[00:27:27] and then six weeks after

[00:27:28] that

[00:27:29] we had Pan American

[00:27:30] Championships in Argentina

[00:27:32] and then

[00:27:33] seven weeks after that

[00:27:34] we had World Championships

[00:27:35] in Glasgow

[00:27:36] in Scotland

[00:27:37] and usually

[00:27:39] there's two World Championships

[00:27:40] in the qualifying process

[00:27:41] but because of

[00:27:42] the way they structured

[00:27:43] the schedule

[00:27:44] there's only one

[00:27:45] so World's last year

[00:27:46] was worth points and a half

[00:27:49] so that was stressful

[00:27:51] and then we went all the way to

[00:27:52] we had basically

[00:27:53] a big break

[00:27:54] because World's first year

[00:27:55] usually in October

[00:27:56] but this year

[00:27:57] it was in August

[00:27:58] 2023 it was in August

[00:27:59] because it was super worlds

[00:28:00] but all cycling disciplines

[00:28:01] combined

[00:28:03] so we had a big build

[00:28:04] into this Nations Cup season

[00:28:05] which was

[00:28:06] we started in February

[00:28:07] we were in

[00:28:08] Adelaide in Australia

[00:28:10] now we have an eight week

[00:28:12] build from that

[00:28:13] into Pan Am Championships

[00:28:14] and then

[00:28:15] a one week difference

[00:28:16] between Pan Am Championships

[00:28:17] and Milton

[00:28:18] and then after Milton

[00:28:19] will end the qualifying process

[00:28:20] for us

[00:28:23] Good luck man

[00:28:24] Yeah, it's a long process

[00:28:26] It's a very long process

[00:28:27] What?

[00:28:30] What don't people

[00:28:31] understand about Olympians?

[00:28:35] What do people...

[00:28:36] There's a lot you don't see

[00:28:38] Like what?

[00:28:39] And for a lot of them

[00:28:41] like I said

[00:28:42] there's more disappointment than success

[00:28:45] and

[00:28:46] the Olympians that

[00:28:47] I know

[00:28:48] everyone that I've met

[00:28:49] is just incredibly dedicated

[00:28:50] dedicated to what they do

[00:28:52] They're not making a whole lot of money

[00:28:54] There are some Olympians

[00:28:55] that do make a lot of money

[00:28:56] but the majority of them don't

[00:28:58] A lot of people that I've even met too

[00:28:59] they're

[00:29:00] have even less funding than I do

[00:29:02] I'm very fortunate

[00:29:03] to actually have the senior card

[00:29:04] and

[00:29:07] but everyone's just super passionate

[00:29:08] super motivated

[00:29:09] love what they do

[00:29:10] and they want to compete at the Olympics

[00:29:14] They just want to be at the top of their sport

[00:29:17] What's the difference

[00:29:18] when you say some people

[00:29:20] make money

[00:29:21] or have money

[00:29:22] through this

[00:29:23] what's the difference

[00:29:24] between those people

[00:29:25] and the rest of the playing field?

[00:29:27] Is it just

[00:29:28] side businesses

[00:29:30] or sponsorship?

[00:29:31] Yes and no

[00:29:33] You got to point out

[00:29:34] like some of the big name Olympians

[00:29:36] Like you know

[00:29:37] you got to think about the

[00:29:38] there's a lot of sports at the Olympics

[00:29:40] and there's a lot of them that

[00:29:43] get more airtime

[00:29:44] more recognition

[00:29:46] than some other sports

[00:29:47] I mean you think the Olympics

[00:29:48] you think the 100 meter

[00:29:50] That's the pinnacle of the Olympics

[00:29:52] whether you say it or not

[00:29:53] the 100 meters pinnacle Olympics

[00:29:55] Everyone tunes in

[00:29:57] for that race

[00:30:00] So there's

[00:30:01] Olympians that do make a lot of money

[00:30:02] Some of them do have side businesses

[00:30:03] Some of them just have very successful personal brands

[00:30:08] but there's a lot of new sports out there

[00:30:11] Where does cycling rank

[00:30:12] in your mind?

[00:30:14] I think track cycling at the Olympics

[00:30:16] gains a lot of recognition

[00:30:17] I think it's a pretty

[00:30:18] spectator friendly sport

[00:30:20] when it comes to the Olympics

[00:30:21] I think it does get quite a bit of airtime

[00:30:22] I think that's the thing right

[00:30:23] It's got to attract the viewers

[00:30:24] the eyeballs

[00:30:25] Yeah, it's got to attract the viewers

[00:30:27] Very spectator friendly

[00:30:28] because you can see

[00:30:29] the entire race happening

[00:30:30] It's not like

[00:30:31] the road race where it's

[00:30:33] you know people go by

[00:30:34] and it's done

[00:30:35] track cycling is all in front of you

[00:30:37] You can see everything

[00:30:38] you can see the infield

[00:30:39] all the riders warming up

[00:30:40] riders on the track

[00:30:42] So in that case it's really good

[00:30:46] Yeah

[00:30:48] Okay

[00:30:49] So

[00:30:51] what happens

[00:30:52] I mean

[00:30:53] I hope this is not too premature

[00:30:54] of a question

[00:30:55] but

[00:30:57] if you tell me

[00:30:58] retirement for

[00:31:00] an Olympian in your sport

[00:31:02] is early 30s

[00:31:04] you got the rest of your life

[00:31:06] Do you

[00:31:07] Are you ideating already

[00:31:09] on what you plan to do

[00:31:10] post career

[00:31:12] Like do you want to get into coaching

[00:31:13] do you want to

[00:31:14] some people

[00:31:16] like go back to school

[00:31:17] is it

[00:31:19] Have you even thought that far?

[00:31:20] I've thought that far

[00:31:21] Okay

[00:31:22] I've thought that far

[00:31:24] and I think that's kind of why

[00:31:25] I put so much energy into learning

[00:31:27] videography cinematography

[00:31:28] photography now

[00:31:29] because that's something I want to do after

[00:31:31] people are always asking me about coaching

[00:31:32] but I think I

[00:31:33] I could be a good coach

[00:31:34] but I also cannot be a terrible coach

[00:31:35] because I really tell people how it is

[00:31:37] I gotta be almost too harsh

[00:31:39] Okay

[00:31:42] But yeah

[00:31:45] It's hard because it's like

[00:31:46] you want to be so all in

[00:31:47] in the sport

[00:31:48] but you

[00:31:49] whatever day it could be

[00:31:50] it's gonna end

[00:31:51] Yeah

[00:31:52] and having a backup plan

[00:31:53] like I don't

[00:31:54] I didn't go to school after high school

[00:31:55] I moved right from

[00:31:56] I turned 18 moved out of the house

[00:31:57] moved to Milton

[00:31:58] started training

[00:31:59] and I basically self taught myself

[00:32:00] photography and cinematography

[00:32:04] I don't know what avenue that could take

[00:32:07] whether that be like through personal

[00:32:09] channels personal platforms

[00:32:11] and building on that

[00:32:13] or actually going into the production space

[00:32:15] I don't know where that may take me

[00:32:17] but I know that after this

[00:32:18] where I want to end up is somewhere in the media space

[00:32:23] I want to go back to a moment

[00:32:25] your cycling career

[00:32:28] or the cycling that you're doing for Paris

[00:32:31] you're doing it individually

[00:32:33] and with a team

[00:32:34] Correct

[00:32:35] Yeah

[00:32:36] How do you navigate the

[00:32:39] egos

[00:32:40] the ups and downs of

[00:32:43] competing for something so big

[00:32:46] with other people

[00:32:49] where your

[00:32:50] your overall result

[00:32:52] is partially tied to

[00:32:54] or not partially

[00:32:55] but some of it is

[00:32:57] what they do

[00:32:58] right like that's a lot of

[00:33:00] outside control

[00:33:05] I've been like

[00:33:08] the environment leading into Tokyo was difficult for me

[00:33:10] I was like I said the younger kid coming up

[00:33:13] and still developing, still learning

[00:33:15] and I've taken on more of like the

[00:33:17] senior team leader role if you say

[00:33:20] this quad

[00:33:23] we've got a really really good Gipper guys

[00:33:25] like we train well together

[00:33:26] we all push each other

[00:33:27] we know what we want

[00:33:30] but that aspect does come into play

[00:33:32] right like

[00:33:34] if it comes down to a fact

[00:33:35] we only have one or two spots

[00:33:37] everyone's going to want them

[00:33:40] but it's just kind of a battle every day

[00:33:42] making sure that you're doing what you can

[00:33:44] to be the best

[00:33:45] and because the decision will be

[00:33:47] performance based

[00:33:49] who can perform the best

[00:33:51] at the Olympics in Paris

[00:33:54] is there some solace in knowing that

[00:33:57] that it's tied to performance

[00:33:59] and purely that

[00:34:02] like when you say that I think about

[00:34:04] you know it's almost like going for a promotion

[00:34:07] right and then sometimes you wonder if

[00:34:09] so and so got the promotion over you

[00:34:11] because they have a better relationship with a person

[00:34:13] but here

[00:34:14] it's very much who has the best time

[00:34:16] and it sounds like there's some

[00:34:19] silver lining and knowing that

[00:34:21] you either had the best time or you didn't

[00:34:24] yeah so like

[00:34:26] we're lucky in that case that we are

[00:34:28] like a stopwatch based sport

[00:34:31] for the most part

[00:34:32] I mean there's racing like one versus one

[00:34:34] and tactics to come into play but

[00:34:36] the stopwatch doesn't lie

[00:34:40] and you got to show up with the race

[00:34:42] you got to show up on the day and

[00:34:45] people have good days and bad days

[00:34:47] but you gotta be

[00:34:49] hoping your bad days aren't on race days

[00:34:52] having the decision based on performance is like

[00:34:54] yeah it is

[00:34:56] I don't want to say comforting

[00:34:59] but

[00:35:01] the stopwatch doesn't lie

[00:35:02] the results don't lie

[00:35:05] it's not a

[00:35:07] you know

[00:35:08] who did better on this day of training

[00:35:10] or who was lifting the most weight in the gym

[00:35:12] or

[00:35:13] it comes down to who's performing best on the track

[00:35:17] so I guess you could say like yeah I guess there's a bit of like

[00:35:21] understanding in that and the team knows it

[00:35:23] we've been very clear about that

[00:35:25] how this election will go for

[00:35:27] Paris

[00:35:30] but yeah it's tough because

[00:35:32] we train together every single day

[00:35:35] everything we do together like the boys

[00:35:37] like we're all competing against each other

[00:35:39] but we're all trying to be better

[00:35:40] everyday as well

[00:35:42] the three guys that compete in the teams sprint

[00:35:44] the three of us like we've been very motivated

[00:35:46] on this goal together to qualify this teams sprint

[00:35:48] for Paris and

[00:35:50] it's a very young team

[00:35:52] we had doubts in the mean that we could do it

[00:35:54] but we're right on the edge

[00:35:58] as possible

[00:36:00] it'd be really cool if we did it

[00:36:01] the team

[00:36:02] Canada hasn't done that in a long time

[00:36:03] I don't even know the last time Canada qualified teams sprint to the Olympics

[00:36:07] so it'd be really big if we did it

[00:36:08] and you're right on the edge

[00:36:09] what does that mean

[00:36:10] it's like the top eight teams qualify

[00:36:12] and we are in the eight nine position

[00:36:14] we don't have

[00:36:16] like the European countries already have had like their continental championships

[00:36:18] whereas we have

[00:36:20] our continental coming up

[00:36:21] there's a big points grab for that

[00:36:23] so if we win that and get those points

[00:36:25] it's gonna bump us up in the ranking quite a bit

[00:36:27] so it just kinda come down to the last

[00:36:29] few points based on the

[00:36:31] the nation's cup results

[00:36:32] so it's like

[00:36:33] we're not one of the top two teams that's secured

[00:36:35] and tucked away for Paris

[00:36:37] we're right on the edge of

[00:36:39] being in or out

[00:36:40] it's a lot of pressure

[00:36:41] it's a lot of pressure

[00:36:42] yeah it's a lot of pressure

[00:36:44] there were a few races that were underperformed

[00:36:46] one of them being Adelaide

[00:36:47] we underperformed last year at Worlds

[00:36:50] we finished ninth

[00:36:52] by I think

[00:36:54] three thousandths of a second

[00:36:57] wow

[00:36:59] China beat us

[00:37:01] by three thousandths

[00:37:02] they got into the first round

[00:37:03] and we didn't

[00:37:04] so one of our big competitors

[00:37:06] it's gotta be heartbreaking

[00:37:07] yeah it is

[00:37:08] one of our big competitors was Poland

[00:37:10] and they qualified high at Worlds

[00:37:12] but they made a mistake in the first round

[00:37:13] and they finished eighth

[00:37:14] they had dropped their P3

[00:37:17] and we think that if we were in that first round

[00:37:19] we probably could have

[00:37:20] stayed together

[00:37:21] and done a better time than what they did

[00:37:23] which would have put us

[00:37:24] headaches our big fight right now

[00:37:25] is with Poland

[00:37:26] in terms of points and qualifying

[00:37:28] so yeah you just

[00:37:30] we had a bad day

[00:37:32] and it's hard to have those bad days on race days

[00:37:34] yeah

[00:37:37] when you know you're in the midst

[00:37:38] of a bad day on a race day

[00:37:42] what are you saying to yourself

[00:37:43] how are you getting yourself out of that

[00:37:49] yeah I mean like

[00:37:52] it's all about like

[00:37:54] we've done the training

[00:37:55] it's a lot of coming down to

[00:37:57] you know mental and

[00:38:00] I'm a big numbers person

[00:38:02] I try not to look at them on race day

[00:38:03] but I somehow

[00:38:04] find myself creeping over to the numbers on race day

[00:38:09] but yeah it's gonna be positive self talk

[00:38:10] to be honest

[00:38:11] it's really all that it is

[00:38:12] like there's nothing

[00:38:14] more you can do on race day

[00:38:15] other than just

[00:38:17] have confidence in yourself and back yourself

[00:38:19] which is tough because I mean

[00:38:20] if you're not feeling great on race day

[00:38:22] and I've had a few of those

[00:38:23] it's tough to back yourself

[00:38:25] and be like yeah

[00:38:27] it would be easier if I just didn't

[00:38:31] but

[00:38:32] you just have to back yourself really

[00:38:33] like it's

[00:38:35] how would you

[00:38:37] you get to Paris let's say

[00:38:40] you will get to Paris

[00:38:42] and

[00:38:44] you come in

[00:38:45] whatever place

[00:38:47] how are you defining success for that

[00:38:53] I don't know what success looks like

[00:38:54] in Paris right now

[00:38:56] to be honest

[00:38:59] I think if I go to Paris

[00:39:00] and I finish top 8 I'd be

[00:39:02] incredibly happy

[00:39:04] I think personally I'm still developing

[00:39:05] as a

[00:39:06] track cyclist

[00:39:07] I don't think I'm there yet

[00:39:08] I don't think I'm at the top yet

[00:39:10] what separates you and

[00:39:12] the guys at the top

[00:39:13] just time

[00:39:14] speed, strength, power

[00:39:18] I don't think I've quite nailed down

[00:39:19] my racing tactics

[00:39:20] quite yet

[00:39:22] there's guys in the circuit that

[00:39:24] can make tactical errors

[00:39:25] but they're just so strong

[00:39:26] powerful they can make up for it

[00:39:28] whereas for me I have to execute perfectly

[00:39:30] I don't have that added bit of power

[00:39:31] that those guys have to

[00:39:33] have bigger acceleration

[00:39:34] or have that top end speed that they have

[00:39:37] such that I execute races

[00:39:38] and be tactically good

[00:39:41] I think I'm still learning

[00:39:42] and still developing

[00:39:43] I think I've seen big gains

[00:39:44] in the last year and a half

[00:39:46] and hopefully that carries through to Paris

[00:39:49] I finished 14th

[00:39:51] in Tokyo

[00:39:53] and I think that I'm in a much better position

[00:39:55] I know I'm in a better position

[00:39:56] to top that result

[00:39:58] in Paris

[00:39:59] were you disappointed by the 14th place finish

[00:40:04] yes and no

[00:40:05] I mean a qualified 12th finish 14th

[00:40:08] but it was such a weird year

[00:40:09] such a weird year of building up to it

[00:40:11] and as we talked earlier

[00:40:13] everything that I went through

[00:40:14] to get on the start line

[00:40:16] you're just happy to be there

[00:40:17] I was happy to be there

[00:40:18] I was the fastest Canadian

[00:40:20] which was a big one for me

[00:40:24] but dealing with that injury

[00:40:27] I don't want to say it wasn't an ideal prep

[00:40:29] because I was my fastest I've ever been

[00:40:31] I did a huge PB in Tokyo

[00:40:35] but I was really happy to be there

[00:40:36] I raced well

[00:40:38] I won the first round of sprint

[00:40:39] which is a big deal for me to win

[00:40:41] a round at the Olympics

[00:40:42] even when I raced at the Olympics

[00:40:43] it's huge

[00:40:44] I mean I'm still 21 years old

[00:40:46] I was the youngest competitor in the field

[00:40:49] just to be on the line that day

[00:40:50] I was just happy like there's videos

[00:40:51] of me rolling up to the line

[00:40:52] with Frank, my coach

[00:40:54] I'm just smiling rolling up to the camera

[00:40:55] because the camera is waiting for you

[00:40:57] on the line

[00:40:58] and I was rolling up smiling

[00:41:00] like I'm at the Olympic Games

[00:41:02] the dream that I had as a kid

[00:41:05] you made it

[00:41:06] you did it

[00:41:07] the rings are right there

[00:41:09] on the track

[00:41:11] that dream you have is just like

[00:41:13] you're living it

[00:41:15] it's a real moment

[00:41:16] yeah

[00:41:17] and I think

[00:41:20] it was that moment

[00:41:21] was hitting me there

[00:41:25] yeah I mean I'm still smiling

[00:41:26] at you right now

[00:41:27] but yeah you look at

[00:41:30] it's hard to describe

[00:41:32] like

[00:41:34] to reach that dream

[00:41:37] for the first time

[00:41:38] like I mean I'm still dreaming

[00:41:39] of going to Paris and going to LA

[00:41:41] but for the first time to realize that

[00:41:42] I mean I was just happy to be there

[00:41:44] so what advice would you give

[00:41:46] to new Olympians

[00:41:48] anyone who shows up at Paris

[00:41:50] first time

[00:41:52] what would you say to them

[00:41:53] buckle up

[00:41:55] because in an Olympic environment

[00:41:56] it's like nothing you've ever experienced

[00:41:58] what makes this so different

[00:42:01] you got the Olympic Games

[00:42:02] like I said it's hard to describe

[00:42:03] because it's like

[00:42:06] there's just like this

[00:42:07] this buzz

[00:42:08] at the Olympics

[00:42:10] we were fortunate enough

[00:42:11] that we were in a satellite village

[00:42:13] and we were in a satellite venue

[00:42:15] so we were allowed spectators

[00:42:16] because some venues weren't allowed

[00:42:17] spectators in Tokyo

[00:42:18] but there was just like this

[00:42:21] the people were amazing

[00:42:22] a chain for everyone

[00:42:23] like there was like a

[00:42:25] just

[00:42:26] this sense of excitement

[00:42:28] in the track

[00:42:30] and there's a lot on the line

[00:42:31] everyone shows up with their new bikes

[00:42:32] their new kits

[00:42:34] everyone's matching

[00:42:36] team at higher like you just

[00:42:39] it's exciting

[00:42:40] it's hard to

[00:42:41] intimidating

[00:42:42] intimidating for sure

[00:42:43] I mean everyone's there to compete

[00:42:44] and

[00:42:46] they want the three medals

[00:42:47] that are available

[00:42:49] everyone's fighting for the same thing

[00:42:50] naturally yeah

[00:42:53] it's just a special place

[00:42:55] when you see their rings in front of you

[00:42:56] and know that it's

[00:42:57] it's legit you're there

[00:42:59] and I think I was just kind of a

[00:43:00] star struck kid

[00:43:02] being like so young

[00:43:03] and

[00:43:05] going to this Olympics

[00:43:06] there's definitely

[00:43:08] that experience of digesting

[00:43:10] that first bit of hype

[00:43:11] around the Olympics

[00:43:12] I've been to three

[00:43:13] four major games now

[00:43:15] two Pan American games

[00:43:16] one Commonwealth Games

[00:43:17] and an Olympic Games

[00:43:19] so I think I've kind of digested

[00:43:20] that environment

[00:43:21] of how a game system works

[00:43:23] I mean

[00:43:25] do you get compensated

[00:43:26] for being at the games

[00:43:27] like when you went to Tokyo

[00:43:28] even though you're in place

[00:43:29] in the top three

[00:43:31] I don't know if it's the government

[00:43:32] like things are covered

[00:43:33] like it's covered

[00:43:34] I didn't cost me any

[00:43:35] in the Olympics

[00:43:36] all the team at higher

[00:43:37] everything's covered

[00:43:38] gear is covered

[00:43:40] but there is

[00:43:41] in Canada

[00:43:42] there's winnings for the medals

[00:43:43] I think it's

[00:43:44] 20,000 for gold

[00:43:46] 15,000 for silver

[00:43:48] 10,000 for bronze

[00:43:51] not a lot

[00:43:52] no

[00:43:53] where you look at some like

[00:43:55] I don't know exactly

[00:43:56] what country it is

[00:43:58] but

[00:43:59] there's like a prize

[00:44:00] like a million dollars

[00:44:01] if you win a gold medal in this country

[00:44:02] just because they

[00:44:03] don't have the Olympic team

[00:44:05] they don't win medals

[00:44:06] so

[00:44:07] I don't know what country

[00:44:08] that it is

[00:44:09] I forget what it is

[00:44:11] a million dollars would be nice

[00:44:12] yeah

[00:44:16] but yeah

[00:44:17] it's not a lot

[00:44:18] I think that's the biggest thing

[00:44:19] that people don't

[00:44:20] really comprehend about Olympians

[00:44:22] we see them on television

[00:44:24] and we think

[00:44:25] wow

[00:44:26] pinnacle of athleticism

[00:44:28] that's

[00:44:30] the best of the best

[00:44:31] of the best

[00:44:32] and we're happy for you

[00:44:33] we're rooting for you

[00:44:34] and most of them are broke

[00:44:35] and most of them are just

[00:44:37] broke

[00:44:38] yeah

[00:44:39] and it's so sad

[00:44:40] yeah

[00:44:41] because

[00:44:43] it's like

[00:44:44] almost how can you expect

[00:44:45] an Olympian to be their best

[00:44:48] when they're also

[00:44:49] trying to figure out

[00:44:50] how to just put food

[00:44:51] on the table

[00:44:52] yeah

[00:44:54] that's wild

[00:44:55] I know athletes and sports

[00:44:56] that like

[00:44:57] work part-time jobs

[00:44:58] train in the morning

[00:44:59] go to work

[00:45:00] train at night

[00:45:02] jeez

[00:45:04] what needs to change

[00:45:07] a lot

[00:45:09] you had a magic wand

[00:45:12] infuse more money in the system

[00:45:14] but

[00:45:15] it's tough

[00:45:16] because it's like it

[00:45:19] these niche sports

[00:45:20] don't get the airtime

[00:45:22] that some pro sports get

[00:45:25] you go on TSN at night

[00:45:27] or whatever there's

[00:45:28] 5 NHL games on

[00:45:29] sure

[00:45:31] there's easy display of

[00:45:32] sponsorships on all these games

[00:45:33] there's ticket sales

[00:45:36] whereas us

[00:45:37] we have one home niche

[00:45:38] a couple of years

[00:45:39] it goes on CBC live

[00:45:41] online

[00:45:42] some people watch it

[00:45:43] there's no sponsorship exposure

[00:45:45] right

[00:45:46] so

[00:45:47] these big corporate brands

[00:45:48] that could put money

[00:45:49] behind these sports

[00:45:50] and some do

[00:45:51] but they just don't gain the exposure

[00:45:52] that say like an NHL team

[00:45:54] would give them

[00:45:55] sure

[00:45:56] they'll see the value in it

[00:45:57] yeah

[00:45:58] which is tough

[00:45:59] I mean what can we offer to them

[00:46:01] I mean it's easy to strap a logo

[00:46:03] on a leaf's jersey

[00:46:05] and it goes on

[00:46:07] national TV

[00:46:10] put some

[00:46:12] logos on the boroughs

[00:46:14] at the ice rink

[00:46:16] it's tough to

[00:46:17] attract those big corporate sponsors

[00:46:19] that we need

[00:46:21] because they don't get the exposure

[00:46:22] that they'd want for their money

[00:46:25] a lot of like our funding

[00:46:26] is through government funding

[00:46:28] through on the podium

[00:46:30] government of Canada

[00:46:32] they pay like there is

[00:46:33] way of funding but it's still not enough

[00:46:34] and

[00:46:36] everything's going up in price right now

[00:46:37] and that funding amount isn't changing

[00:46:40] it's not matching

[00:46:41] the rising cost of living

[00:46:44] but it's tough

[00:46:46] yeah cause a lot of things

[00:46:47] could change but

[00:46:49] there's just more money

[00:46:51] well Nick

[00:46:54] I sincerely hope

[00:46:55] that you're able to

[00:46:56] continue on this incredibly inspiring journey

[00:47:00] first and foremost

[00:47:01] and secondly

[00:47:04] I am so excited

[00:47:06] I hope that you are able to

[00:47:09] to get to Paris

[00:47:11] I know you're going to get to Paris

[00:47:12] positive

[00:47:13] it's the hope

[00:47:16] get to Paris

[00:47:17] crush it at Paris

[00:47:21] and yeah I hope you just keep doing

[00:47:23] the stuff that you're doing

[00:47:24] cause honestly it's

[00:47:25] I have a new found

[00:47:27] I have increasing respect for

[00:47:30] the athletes who are competing

[00:47:31] for their countries

[00:47:34] the amount of work that's involved in it

[00:47:35] the amount of time

[00:47:37] and dedication

[00:47:38] and sacrifices

[00:47:39] more than anything else

[00:47:40] the things you have to say no to

[00:47:42] there's so much

[00:47:44] and I don't think people

[00:47:45] really comprehend that

[00:47:46] so if you're listening

[00:47:47] or watching

[00:47:48] support your athletes

[00:47:51] yes the big mainstream pro athletes

[00:47:53] get all the buzz

[00:47:55] but there's a ton of gems out there

[00:47:57] who are doing so much to

[00:48:00] you know

[00:48:01] wear that crest proudly

[00:48:03] so thank you so much for coming

[00:48:04] yeah thanks for having me

[00:48:05] I wish you the best of luck

[00:48:06] great check

[00:48:07] in your journey

[00:48:08] and I would love to continue

[00:48:09] and have a part 2

[00:48:11] post Paris

[00:48:12] if you're up for it

[00:48:13] we'll lock it in

[00:48:14] yeah amazing

[00:48:15] Nick thank you so much

[00:48:16] thanks for having me

[00:48:17] thank you everybody

[00:48:21] you