Chestermere’s Olympic speed skating prospect, Robyn Salie was among 100 athletes chosen for the RBC Training Program.
Salie has been speed skating for nearly nine years and fell in love with the sport after trying it on a whim.
While at her brother’s hockey game, she saw a poster in the arena lobby where a local skating club was offering a free lesson for anyone interested in trying speed skating.
“I did the free lesson, and I fell in love with it,” Salie said.
Since then, Salie has moved from Winnipeg to Chestermere, joining the Olympic Oval training program in Calgary.
As part of her training program in Calgary, Salie joined the first phase of the RBC Training Program, which featured athletic testing, such as the deep test, 100-meter dash, jump for height, and jump for distance.
After completing the first phase, Speed Skating Canada invited Salie to the second phase of the RBC Training Program, which included the deep test, and three days of skating, where her skating technique was evaluated.
Salie was among 100 athletes chosen by RBC, to compete in Ottawa for the top 30 to receive funding to help her on her journey to the Olympics.
“I did endurance testing, speed, and strength,” Salie said. “I didn’t end up getting the funding, but the experience was really important, it was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot.”
When Salie found out she was among the 100 athletes going to Ottawa, she was excited and shocked.
“That’s pretty big that I got picked as one of the top 100, I was super excited,” Salie said.
Going forward, Salie is now training to compete in Canada’s Winter Games in February on P.E.I. and represent her home province of Manitoba for the second time.
To prepare for competitions, she works on strength training twice a week and training on the ice six days a week.
“That’s going to be a really big competition for me, and hopefully I get some medals as well, that’s what I’ve been training for,” Salie said.
In addition to physical training, Salie is also working on keeping a positive mindset, believing in herself, and not thinking negatively.
Currently, Salie is working to perfect her skating position, and get low enough to maintain speed.
“Right now, my position when I skate, I’m struggling a lot with trying to perfect that,” Salie said. It’s been a problem for a bit, but I’m actively trying to fix it, it’s been a stump that I’ve run into.”
Despite the challenges Salie is working through, she enjoys the daily routine the sport brings, with being at the arena at a certain time, warming up, getting on the ice, and practicing.
“The team environment is really positive, I love my team, it’s fantastic,” Salie said.
