Aspiring Olympic athletes show off their skills in Montreal

Young athletes got their mettle tested Sunday at the RBC Training Ground in Montreal in the hopes of getting closer to the Olympic dream.

The Canadian Olympic Committee and sponsor RBC have paired up to provide funding and mentorship opportunities to athletes between 14 and 25 years old who show potential for Olympic success.

Contenders for that funding tried to catch the attention of talent scouts Sunday, while coaches took notes of who could end up on their future Olympic teams.

Devin Corah has been playing volleyball since she was a child and was hoping to impress recruiters this year.

“I just want to play as long as I can. Whether that gets me to the Olympics, or I get a really cool life of travel, it’s the dream,” she said.

Because volleyball is typically underfunded, athletes often have to pay to travel on their own until sponsorships come through, Corah said.

Originally from Calgary, Corah plays professionally in Germany but dreams of making it on Team Canada in 2028. She’s hoping extra funding and coaching can get her there.

Freestyle skier Louis Groleau made the cut last year and said it was an amazing opportunity that allowed him to “prove what [he’s] got” and compete on new levels.

He said it was motivating to know that other Olympic athletes started out just like him.

“It would feel amazing to represent my country in the Olympic games,” said Groleau, who’s gunning for the 2030 Olympics. “It’s always been my dream.”

Jonathon Cavar, a sport pathway manager with Speed Skating Canada, said the RBC Training Ground is a great way to find new, young talent.

“It’s excellent. We get to know who they are, we get to learn about them, and we can see how hard they are working,” he said.

Sunday’s event in Montreal is one of many stops the program will make throughout the country this year. Since 2016, thousands of athletes have tried out to gain access to funding, mentorship and top coaching.

Gold medallists Avalon Wasteneys and Kelsey Mitchell, along with decathlon world champion Pierce LePage, are among the 13 athletes who’ve come out of the program over the last nine years.

Olympian slalom canoeist Florence Maheu is another, and she said Sunday she wants to give back as a mentor and help others who want to follow in her footsteps.

“I like to talk about passion and perseverance. So I talk about loving what you do and [how it makes] it a bit easier, when you love something, to persevere through the obstacles,” she said.

“That the road is not easy, obviously. But it’s a fun one.”