RBC Training Ground seeks out Calgary’s future Olympic athletes
Calgary’s next generation of athletes are putting their physical fitness to the test in the hopes of capturing their Olympic dreams at this weekend’s RBC Training Ground talent search.
The Canadian Olympic Committee event is entering the eighth year of its free program that puts athletes aged 14 to 25 years-old through strength, power, endurance, and aerobic fitness testing to find prospective Olympic stars.
From sprinting, to jumping, and the famous ‘beep’ test, several participants including 23-year-old Matteo Larratta pushed themselves to the limit.
“The coaches here are all amazing, they’re the best in their fields here in Canada and I’d love to continue working with them,” he said.
“If you think you have the potential to be an athlete, you've got a passion for a sport. This experience could change my life so I came out here to give it a shot, you never know what will happen.”
BIG GOALS
Others like 17-year-old Payton Sheehan have big goals to compete in triathlons and achieve a scholarship at the NCAA level.
She says it’s not just about her level of physical fitness, but also her mental toughness.
“You don’t just have to be good, sometimes it’s about dedication,” said Sheehan.
“Everyone here is really nice, especially the instructors and athletes here looking for new friends, they’re all offering some pretty great advice.”
The RBC Training Ground has already found and funded seven Canadian Olympic medalists, many of which are now competing in sports they never considered in the first place.
The RBC Training Ground has already found and funded seven Canadian Olympic medalists, many of which are now competing in sports they never considered in the first place.
Local Olympian ambassadors like Eden Wilson attended Saturday’s event to help motivate the next generation.
She now competes as bobsledder and is hopeful to earn a spot on Team Canada for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.
“It's really important to me to see the next generation come through just because I believe in the value of sport and what it can do for you as a person and what it can do for your life,” Wilson said.
“When it comes to opportunities, things like travelling, meeting new people that you would have never got to see and having these experiences, this can never happen without this type of support.”
FUNDING PROGRAMS ESSENTIAL
Sam Effah, a two-time Canadian 100m sprint champion agrees. He says funding programs like this are essential to taking athletes to the next level.
“I wish I would have had this when I was younger, but we have athletes here now that get to see their Olympic heroes here,” he said.
“Don’t put any pressure on yourself, just try your best. You may get identified by a sport that you never even knew you were good at so just come with an open mind, have fun, and you never know because it could be you that’s chosen.”
Since its inception in 2016, the RBC Training Ground program has tested more than 12,000 athletes across Canada with over 1,600 athletes being identified by national sport organizations as having Olympic potential.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.