Nova Scotians in the spotlight

After a year-long wait, 10 atheles are ready to take the Olympic stage

The long wait is over for Nova Scotia’s Olympic athletes.

An extra year of training in isolation, the uncertainty of the viability of the Tokyo Olympics amid Japan’s growing concerns over the resurgence of COVID-19 are now in the rearview for the athletes.

But signs of vigilance were on display at Friday night’s Opening Ceremony as smaller delegations of mask-wearing, socially-distanced athletes walked into Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium to signal the official start to the Tokyo Games.

Olympic veteran Mark de Jonge, one of 10 athletes born or having permanent residency in Nova Scotia, is taking all the precautions in stride.

“While things are starting to ease up in Canada, we will need to get used to being very strict again with mask-wearing at all times even in our apartments and following COVID protocols,” said the 37-year-old kayaker. “The Olympics is normally a very social event, but this won’t be a normal Olympics. While meal-time at the Olympic dining hall is normally a social event where you might meet some athletes from different countries and spot some superstars, in Tokyo meals will mostly be grab-and-go and eaten in our rooms. Staying isolated in our bubbles will be key so there won’t be much socializing.”

His third and final Olympic Games will be nothing like his previous trips to 2012 London and 2016 Rio where the pomp and ceremony and fans were on full display. The Tokyo Olympics will be staged without spectators due to the strict COVID protocols.

“No matter how you slice it, the Olympics is always a big deal and Tokyo will be an amazing experience despite the restrictions that are in place,” said the 2012 London bronzemedallist in the K-1 200 metres. “I’m excited to represent my country and do what I love and, with this being my last Games, I’m going to soak it all in.”

Joining de Jonge in Tokyo are fellow paddlers Michelle Russell (Fall River) and Connor Fitzpatrick (Dartmouth), sailors Jacob Saunders (Chester) and Oliver Bone (Halifax), gymnast Ellie Black (Halifax), shot putter Sarah Mitton (Brooklyn), basketball’s Shay Colley (East Preston), boxer Wyatt Sanford (Kennetcook) and equestrian Brittany Fraser-beaulieu (New Glasgow).

GYMNASTS GOOD TO GO

Black, Canada’s most decorated female gymnast, is appearing in her third Olympics.

The 25-year-old Halifax native leads a strong Canadian team into the gymnastics competition. In Rio, Black placed fifth overall in the All Around while the team placed ninth overall.

The Canadian women had a chance to work off the competition rust with a Podium training on Thursday at the gymnastics venue in Tokyo. Black and her teammates begin competition in Subdivision 4 on Sunday (5:05 a.m. Atlantic time).

“It was great to be back in an actual arena competing in person,” said Black. “It wasn’t competition but practising, going through those motions for the competition. Podium was really good.

“We got to feel all the equipment, show some really good routines. And just to know where we need to keep working for the competition. We felt really excited to be out there.

“The main thing for us is we are so grateful for the opportunity being here and having the Olympics go ahead.”

DRESSAGE DREAMS

Fraser-beaulieu, a member of the Canadian Dressage team, did her walkthrough with All In, her horse, on Friday morning. The New Glasgow native and first-time Olympian has been Canada’s highest-ranking dressage team member since 2017.

“All the Canadian riders and horses were turned out amazingly in the Canadian team clothes for the jog,” said the 32-year-old Fraser-beaulieu. “As of now, we will be focusing on the Grand Prix as a team to all try to get personal bests for Canada.”

WATCHING FROM HOME

One element missing for the athletes is family. With travel restrictions and spectator bans in place, those close to the Olympians will have to watch the Games from home.

Kennetcook boxer Wyatt Sanford will be the first Nova Scotian in competition in Tokyo. The 22-year-old will make his Olympic debut against Mervin Clair of Mauritius on Saturday morning (1:54 a.m.).

Sanford’s mother Angela, who has travelled the world with her son, said she is hosting an event in her Kennet

cook backyard.

“We have a big screen set to go,” said Angela Sanford. “We have a few family and friends coming over. I just wish COVID wasn’t interfering with the numbers.”

LARGE CANADIAN TEAM

In all Canada will have 370 athletes competing at the Games, including an all-time high of 225 women. Many of these athletes have passed through Nova Scotia in the Olympic cycle.

Ken Bagnell, the president of Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic (CSCA), is well acquainted with many of the Nova Scotia Olympians. Bagnell and his CSCA staff, several of whom are at the Games in support roles, have helped the athletes through the trying times of the pandemic.

“The people that actually made it there, they each have an incredible story of what they had to get through to qualify. I think there is a genuine relief and joy to be in Tokyo, actually competing at the Olympics.” Ken Bagnell President of Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic

“In the last year what has changed is people's training because there was no competition. This also caused a delay in the qualifications for people to get to Tokyo. The uncertainty has been the primary theme through COVID. Those dates were changed any number of times.

“The people that actually made it there, they each have an incredible story of what they had to get through to qualify. I think there is a genuine relief and joy to be in Tokyo, actually

competing at the Olympics.

“Such a long road to get to the Olympics in the best of times, when you're dealing with the worst of times, it's craziness.”

And these Nova Scotians passed the test,

Bagnell said the CSCA has seen more than Nova Scotian athletes walk through their doors over this Olympic cycle. He said the Centre has supported almost a fifth of Canada's Olympic athletes in the lead-up to the Games.

“We have either here at the CSCA in Halifax, or through our staff, supported over 70 athletes who are in Tokyo,”

said Bagnell. “The women's softball team was here, the gymnastics team, the badminton team, all of the canoe team and the sailing teams have been here.”

There are other athletes to watch that have local ties. Swimmer Sydney Pickrem, whose parents lived in Halifax, runner Lauren Gale, parents from Sydney, and Ghislaine Landry, a rugby star at St. Francis Xavier, are three such athletes.

With competition underway, athletes like Black can finally get down to business. The Games are on. The athletes can compete against their international rivals, something the pandemic hasn't allowed for over 18 months.

Black probably speaks for all Olympians when she talks about competing.

"I'm really glad now we're about to have a competition and we can just focus on looking forward to that."