The Olympic Dream Overcomes Adversity

During the weeks and days before competition, the Olympic infrastructure and organization for a successful Summer Games was in question.

And then the Games began. And Team Canada came out in full force.

The CSI Calgary’s Tara Whitten was able to come back from a freak accident that left her in a neck brace for 10 weeks. Her training in April and May was severely curtailed yet she finished seventh in the Road Cycling Individual Time Trial. It was a superhuman, herculean effort that is difficult to comprehend considering the nature of the injury and time required to allow the bone to heal.

Track Cycling teammates Allison Beveridge and Kirsti Lay brought home a bronze medal in the Women’s Team Pursuit. Allison is an Alberta athlete who overcame a serious injury early this year to compete. Kirsti Lay came through the Talent Lab program at CSI Calgary on her path to making the national and Olympic teams.

CSI Calgary’s Erica Wiebe unabashedly won gold in women’s 75kg wrestling, belting out “O Canada” with tears streaming and the enthusiasm of an entire nation behind her. Such unrestrained emotion is not the stuff of Olympic puffery – it is pure, unadulterated joy. We are all benefactors in her accomplishment.

And the fourths and the lasts, they mean something too, whether we know it or not. Honest, humble, fierce – unequivocally Canadian.

These are the stories that matter. Not to the IOC or to the sponsors or even to the fans, but to the athletes, who give us everything of themselves, win or lose.

They rise above the noise until it fades away and all that remains is their space, their opponent, their race and the inner sanctum of competition. Their playing field is sacred and within its confines the athletes are free to compete, unencumbered by the circus outside. They simply shine.

This glimpse into the true Olympic Games is what engages us still – we believe in their goodness and so we should.

While it’s true that many of the issues in Rio and around the world are serious and cause for grave concern, they are neither the fault nor the burden of the athletes, who are there simply to compete for their country. While they cannot make the world’s problems go away, they can help us believe that a better world is possible through their sportsmanship, humility and determination.

The CSI Calgary is proud and honoured to work alongside these athletes as they pursue their Olympic dreams. We share their joy and sorrow, triumph and defeat. Their stories are good news to us and to all Canadians.

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Written by Kristina Groves: @kngrover
Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto
24/08/16