Canadian Olympic Foundation
STRIVE: #TogethertoTokyo 2020
Tokyo may seem far away both in distance and in time, but it’s in the forefront for our Olympic Games athletes. This year the Games bring a lot of new things for spectators and Olympic enthusiast alike to watch and be proud of.
With the addition of 3×3 basketball, freestyle BMX and Madison cycling disciplines, a number of events including Canoe-Sprint will feature the introduction of women’s teams in the C-1200 metre and C-2500 metre, allowing sport at the elite Olympic level to have the highest gender equality in Olympic sport history. A huge milestone for the sport community.
Team Canada’s Laurence Vincent Lapointe and Katie Vincent paddle to gold and a world best time in the women’s C-2 500m at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup in Duisburg, Germany (Photo: ICF/Dezso Vekassy)
These Games will also see karate, sport climbing, skateboarding and surfing added to the sport roster as core events, along with the return of baseball and softball which were removed in 2008 but are back with a vengeance for 2020!
Although over a year away, many athletes we have talked about in the last year have hopes to be there and with your help, topping the podium!
RELATED: IOC approves five new sports for Tokyo 2020
Pierce LePage, a decathlete from Whitby, ON who was part of RBC Training Ground and the Canadian Olympic Foundation’s 5to8 campaign has his sights set on Tokyo 2020 after a smashing debut at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 coming in hot with a silver medal.
Lauriane Genest is a cyclist from Lévis, Quebec who is an athlete to watch! In the past few years as a Next Gen athlete she has soared past the competition and has successfully claimed national sprint titles and is the current Canadian record holder for the Flying 200m. Lauriane loves to go fast, and she’s definitely speeding towards Tokyo.
Team Canada’s Pierce Lepage competes in the men’s decathlon javelin throw at Carrara Stadium during the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia, Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
There’s no definite for any athlete at this time that they will be there in Tokyo, but with your support it helps them inch that much closer. Both Pierce and Lauriane have had injuries, medical emergencies and have needed specialized rehab and physiotherapy to get them back on track. They have struggled to get back to the top, but never gave up hope and never had to give up their dreams because they were able to get the specialized sport medicine they needed to recover, and the support of high performance coaches and trainers that donors to the Canadian Olympic Foundation help fund with their donations.
RELATED: Tokyo 2020 to have greater gender balance
You make a difference in our athletes lives every step of the way, every competition, every surgery, every day of training. Every little bit helps our athletes recover, recharge and pursue the podium.
Closer to Tokyo we will be releasing some amazing ways you can stay connected with our athletes and how you can support them from right here in Canada and make a huge difference as they are competing in Tokyo.
Until then, you can support our talented athletes right now by clicking here.
