Sask. teen swaps skis for sled after being scouted at Olympic talent search
CBC
Earlier this year, Ava Darbellay was perfecting her shooting and skiing skills for biathlon. Now, she’s preparing to fly down an icy track feet-first on a sled in a sport she only picked up this summer — luge.
"When I was filling out the form for the RBC Training Ground qualifier and they asked me what sports I wanted to do, I just kind of selected them all because I'm really interested in all of them and willing to try different sports and new things," said Darbellay.
Darbellay, 14, is one of the 100 finalists selected by RBC Training Ground, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s nationwide talent search program. The initiative identifies young athletes with Olympic potential and connects them with national sport organizations for elite training opportunities.
The teen from Lumsden, Sask., about 25 kilometres northeast of Regina, was one of seven invited to Calgary earlier this year for Olympic-level luge training — a sport Darbellay had never tried before.
“I've always kind of wanted to go to the Olympics,” she said. “I just haven't decided what sport I want to go to the Olympics doing, so maybe luge will be that sport.”
Darbellay first attended an RBC training Ground event in May to compete with more than 2,000 young athletes from across Canada. Participants underwent performance tests for speed, power and endurance — with top performers earning access to funding, coaching and, of course, Olympic training.
“We generally hold up to 20 qualifying events completely free across the country,” said RBC brand manager Sam Effah. “We give youth — anyone who's 14 to 25
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse and includes graphic content.
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