Canadian athletes feel a mixed bag of emotions a year out, again, from the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Amid the upheaval the COVID-19 pandemic unleashed upon their lives, the postponed Summer Games is the North Star to which they affix their hopes and dreams.
"I am still only like 60 to 70 per cent certain there's going to be a Games next year," racewalker Evan Dunfee told The Canadian Press Rugby player Britt Benn's life plan was to retire after the 2020 Games and start a career as a firefighter. The 31-year-old, who helped Canada win bronze in 2016, deliberated at home in Napanee, Ont., before boarding a plane to Victoria."I want to pursue another Olympics," Benn said. "I can't throw in the towel a year out. It would be a lifetime full of regret if I did that.
There's also more time for athletes to play themselves onto a Tokyo-bound team. Eight teams have qualified so far. "What it did allow us to do is to re-engage with sports with a lens of 'well, we've got a chance to repeat Year 4, so what were the gaps that were identified over the course of the year that we can address heading into a new Year 4?"' she said.The Canadian Olympic Committee continues to prep athletes for the Games environment and marshall resources to look after them the ground in Tokyo.
In addition to providing technical expertise to sport federations, OTP directs roughly $70 million -- $9 million of from the COC -- to winter and summer Olympic and Paralympic sport annually based on medal potential. De Grasse, swimmer Penny Oleksiak, trampolinist Rosie MacLennan, tennis player Bianca Andreescu and golfer Brooke Henderson will be the faces of the Canadian team in 2021 should the Games go ahead.
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