What Canadian hoops star Bridget Carleton feels about her 2nd straight Olympics

It was difficult to qualify, but Canada’s women’s basketball team is heading to the Paris Olympics this summer, despite dropping an important game against Japan in Hungary last weekend. 

The Canadians were still able to lock up a spot in the tournament. 

Leading the team was Chatham’s Bridget Carleton who scored 19 points and pulled down eight rebounds in Canada’s last game of the qualifying round.  

The Paris Olympics run in July and August. This will be Carleton’s second time competing. 

Carleton talked with CBC Radio Windsor Morning host Amy Dodge about the team getting in.

Here’s part of their conversation.

It must feel pretty special.

Yeah. So excited. Obviously, I love playing for Canada, and to be an Olympian two times now is pretty surreal. I’m so excited.

Can you explain how dramatic the series of events was leading up to you qualifying? 

It was emotional. Talk about the lowest of lows through sport, and then the highest of highs, all within a couple hours. 

Heading into the tournament, there were four really good teams: us, Hungary, Spain and Japan. And three teams were to qualify. 

So heading into our last game against Japan, it was a win and we’re in, and that’s all we need to do, but Japan’s a really good team, and we lost by four. 

That was really heartbreaking for us, but luckily, we weren’t out completely yet. Spain and Hungary had to play after us. And if Spain beat Hungary, we were going to be in. 

WATCH | Carleton carries Canada over host Hungarians in 1st qualifying game:

Bridget Carleton carries Canada over host Hungarians in 1st FIBA Olympic qualifying game

Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton of Chatham, Ont., scored a game-high 18 points, as Canada beat Hungary 67-55 in the first game of the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Sopron, Hungary.

It was obviously really disappointing that we didn’t beat Japan and go out that way, but as a team, we kind of went back to our hotel. We watched the second game, and it’s so hard when things are not in your control, and it was kind of hoping for the best, not trying to get your hopes up, not trying to get too low. 

And they’re down by 20. Spain was down by 20 and ended up coming back and winning that game, and that’s how we qualified for the Olympics. So it was very emotional, but really, really exciting. 

I remember being in a situation similar to that. Obviously, the Olympics weren’t on the line, but there is that sense of powerlessness that you can’t escape. 

Yeah, it’s so difficult. Luckily, I had some family there, so I was able to watch the game with them and some of my close teammates. 

It was so, so hard to watch. Especially when that game didn’t look good for us, but Spain ended up coming back, and I think things work out how they’re supposed to work out. 

I have amazing teammates and coaches that deserve to be at the Olympics. And you know, we played well. 

It just wasn’t meant to be for our game against Japan, but it all worked out so pretty incredible. 

You competed at the Tokyo games three years ago, but failed to qualify for the quarterfinals. How do you think the competition is looking for you in Paris? 

Obviously, Tokyo was difficult. During the pandemic, no fans. It was definitely a unique environment, and for that to be my first Olympics, obviously it was still really, really exciting to be there. It was the Olympics. It was super special. 

But now, heading into Paris, I think we’ve grown a lot as a team, and as much of a struggle as it was to qualify … it’s in the past and now our focus is fully on July, and having our best showing when we get to Paris. 

I think our team has grown a lot together on the court. We have limited time together throughout the year, but when we are together, we’ve grown a lot. 

Our coaches are very invested in us, and we’re ranked fifth in the world, so we are expected to be at these big tournaments. We are expected to be in big games, in quarterfinal games, so that’s our goal heading into Paris, and I think we’ll be able to accomplish that. 

There were no fans when you were there three years ago, what’s it going to be like to walk in and just see the stands packed? 

I mean, I’m excited. I think not only that, but to have our own family and friends there celebrating us.

It’s as much of a dream of mine and my teammates to be at the Olympics as athletes, as our parents and our loved ones getting to experience that too … and that’s so super special for them as well. 

So to have them in the stands and, obviously, an amazing crowd … I’m sure Paris and France will get a lot of fans that are heading to the games that are super exciting. It’ll bring another energy level that Tokyo didn’t have. 

In May, you’re going to be starting your sixth season with the WNBA with the Minnesota Lynx. How will your Lynx season mesh with your commitments that you have to the Canadian national team? 

It’s a busy summer. That’s for sure. I’m actually playing overseas right now, in Hungary. 

I’ll head back to Minnesota when the season’s done, and then luckily, the WNBA takes a month break to allow players to play for the national team, to go represent their countries at the Olympics. 

There’ll be a little break in the WNBA season the middle of July into the middle of August. I’ll be able to get away and go training with the national team heading into Paris for a couple of weeks. 

It’s going to be crazy. It’ll be really, really busy, but, that’s kind of what we all signed up for. That’s what we love. 

Growing up in Chatham, who was an influence in your life? Who comes to mind for you?

First person that comes to mind is my mom. She was my coach growing up in Chatham at John McGregor Secondary School, for the Chatham-Kent Wildcats as well. She coached me in club and high school. 

I always looked up to her, and I always wanted to be like her. She was an athlete herself. She was a basketball player herself. I wanted to kind of follow in her footsteps. 

The coach she was to me, and how she helped teach the game and inspire the love and passion that she has for me, for the game of basketball and being a great teammate and working hard. 

That’s definitely the person who comes to mind.