Achi news desk-
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are just a few months away, but scouts are already looking for new talent for the coming years. It all starts with finding young athletes who are ready to train.
Young athletes from the capital region put their skills to the test on Saturday at the RBC Training Ground. The program is a talent identification and athlete funding program designed to find future Olympians.
Saturday’s event was held at the Kinsmen Sports Centre.
“This uncovers individuals’ strengths, utilizes them, and helps them discover and discover what sports they can excel in,” said Amanda Rummery, an RBC Olympian.
Athletes between the ages of 14 and 25 tested their speed, strength, power and endurance with four different exercises.
“They do a 20 meter sprint, they do a mid-thigh test, they do a vertical jump and they finish it all off with the lovely beep test,” said Rummery.
It was in the ‘beep test’ that the young athlete Kian Kyars excelled. He says the event felt a lot like a professional sports combine and with his background, he wanted to give it a shot.
“I think it’s cool because they scout people from all over the country for a chance to participate in the Olympics. Everyone has had a chance, there’s no gatekeeping or anything, and anyone who signs up can come,” Kyars said.
The RBC Training Field program has identified and funded 13 Olympians and seven Canadian Olympic medalists.
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It helps competitors take part in sports they may not have considered, such as luge.
“Our sport is actually quite specialized, however we are looking to get more people into our program. An opportunity for us to go somewhere with a group of athletes who are interested in trying a new sport is a perfect landing spot for us,” said Mike Lane with Luge Canada.
“Luge is a very skill-based sport. It’s not something you’re going to learn in the weight room or on the field, you have to develop those abilities on the track in the sled.”
Sutten Marsh, aged 14, is one of more than 200 athletes who competed on Saturday. Although she enjoys football, she says this could broaden her horizons.
“I thought I could try something new and see if there’s another sport I could be better at, other than one of my normal sports that I usually play,” Marsh said.
Saturday’s event in Edmonton was one of several that will be held across Canada this year. In Alberta, there are two more events this year, one on May 6th in Grande Prairie and the other on May 11th in Calgary.
Rummery says the event can open many doors for the country’s young athletes.
“The one piece of advice I would give to athletes is that I was 20 years old when I got involved in track and field. I had never done track and field before, so you’re never too old to try something new,” said Rummery.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
