Three Victorians are leaps and bounds closer to fulfilling their Olympic dreams thanks to a recent funding opportunity.
RBC Training Ground, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s official talent search identified three athletes from right here in Victoria to receive funding to have their paths accelerated to get to the Olympics.
These individuals include 21-year-old Adam Scott, 20-year-old Liam Hallett and 14-year-old Tyce Chappel.
Scott is a member of the varsity men’s soccer team at the UVic, but will now also be pursuing the sport of skeleton.
“Transitioning from soccer, Adam has quickly become one of the top male recruits in skeleton,” said Joe Cecchini, Skeleton Head Coach and Technical Lead at Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada.
“His focus, discipline, and adaptability have translated exceptionally well to driving the sled. With RBC funding, he will be able to spend more time on the track and continue refining his pilot skills.”
Scott is currently expected to make the National Team within one season and is a key, long-term prospect for Canada’s skeleton program.
Hallett was one of six national finalists who listed ice hockey as their “sport number one.” Despite this choice, Hallett has pivoted to focus on the sport of rowing.
By making this change, he is following in his father’s footsteps, as Todd Hallett was a three-time Olympic rower for Canada in 1992, 1996 and 2000.
“Liam is a remarkable young rower with a family background deeply rooted in international rowing success,” said Laurence Cote, National Team Coordinator at Rowing Canada.
“He just started rowing at UVic recently, and working closely [with] the coaches there we implemented a flexible and individualized approach that allowed Liam to explore the sport at his own pace, free from performance pressure.”
Lastly, young Chappel, is a student at Claremont Secondary, but has been identified as having potential in the sport of Luge.
“Tyce quickly demonstrated strong driving skills during the ID Camp that followed the RBC Training Ground qualifiers, and showed genuine motivation and enthusiasm for the sport,” said Dania Obratov, Track To Podium program Coach & Coordinator, Luge Canada.
“He’s expressed interest in continuing with luge and could play a valuable role in helping strengthen our growing training group in Victoria alongside our two other Track to Podium athletes based there.”
These three Victoria athletes were among the more than 2,500 athletes between the ages of 14 and 25 who participated in RBC Training Ground this year.
Only 35 of those athletes were selected for funding.
