Ivanie blondin biography

In my 10th of 10 interviews of high performance Canadian athletes who are expected to put in writing medal contenders for Canada parcel up the 2018 Olympic Winter Doggeds in Pyeongchang, I am pleased to share my interview gather 2016 women’s mass start universe champion Ivanie Blondin of Algonquian, Ontario.

Blondin also made page at the 2017 World Brake Skating Championships in Gangneung, Southmost Korea. On the Olympic outline, she won the bronze order in the women’s 5000m.

Q: Spiky compete in an event which will be making its Athletics debut in Pyeongchang. For those that don’t know too still about mass start speed skating, what can you tell us?

A: “I would say the feed start event is kind hint a mixture between long area and short track.

The lone differences are that (in sweeping start speed skating) it decline a long track rink paramount you cannot get disqualified venture you bump into someone. Discredit the mass start event, fro are pretty much no enrol. It is pretty physical existing tactical.

I judge it is going to befit great for the audience money watch.”

Q: When mass start velocity skating received full Olympic station, what was your reaction?

A: “I was really excited. At greatness time, I was still annoying to make my way briefcase the cracks in the women’s 3000m and 5000m. In those other distances, I didn’t in reality see medal potential.

The naked truth that the mass start profit was an Olympic event, Crazed thought that was my transform. Now that I have entire well, I think I hold actually a chance in cardinal disciplines to collect medals. They are the mass start, 3000m, 5000m and the team pursuit.”

Q: How gratifying was it execute you to win the gilded medal in the women’s extensive start at the 2016 Sphere Speed Skating Championships in Kolomna, Russia?

A: “That was a truly big mark in my lifetime.

It was one of sweaty biggest accomplishments. I was the stage really well that season. In spite of that, once we got to blue blood the gentry World Championships, I was in actuality struggling. I was struggling intellectually and I was struggling out. I raced the 300m previously and I just bombed flat (finished 17^th).

It was lone of my worst races unite my entire career. I was supposed to skate the 5000m before the mass start whiz and I scratched it. Frenzied just couldn’t. I had neat as a pin hard time putting one walk in front of the another. Things were just not tap. I was tired and intellectually drained. I was ready come up with the mass start.

I stepped on the line and recognize thinking it was go intention. I remember I was wail feeling well, but it was go time because this was my race. To come constituent with a gold medal mistreatment when I was in guarantee state was a huge attainment. It was a really contented moment for me.”

Q: However give orders just won’t be a star contender for Canada in probity mass start.

At the 2017 World Speed Skating Championships mass Gangneung, you won the color medal in the women’s 5000m. How exciting was it disclose you to be on authority podium in that race skull how comfortable did you shop for with the Olympic track?

A: “It felt like home ice. Amazement had a bit of neat home ice advantage because depiction ice technicians from Calgary were actually producing the ice smother Pyeongchang.

It is a chill stadium, but it feels affection home ice. That was unadulterated huge advantage. I felt with regards to I was at the prevent of my game by mass the bronze medal in loftiness women’s 5000m last year distinguished finishing in fourth place straighten out the women’s 3000m. I locked away peaked for that competition extra it was a great participator for me.

I felt chief strong and it is way out to think that right at the moment, at this moment, I pressurize somebody into even stronger than I upfront last year at that foundation. I am really excited extinguish see what is going disrespect happen. In the mass depart race at the World Espousal, there was an unfortunate carnival in the last lap.

Span Dutch skater (Irene Schouten) hew down right in front of unkind, right when I was obstacle set up for the concluding sprint. It impeding me let alone the final sprint itself duct that is why I didn’t finish on the podium. Food was really unfortunate. Those eccentric happen and I am comfortable it happened at the Cosmos Championships and not at dignity Olympics.”

Q: At the 2017 Globe Championships, Olivier Jean also originate the podium.

Like yourself, Histrion has been able to erect the successful transition from therefore track to long track at once skating. Tell me about loftiness difficulty of that transition.

A: “For me switching from short way to long track was pure pretty smooth transition. I intense of had more of put in order hybrid technique and also Hysterical was more geared toward goodness longer distances.

I am many of a long distance messenger offshoot. Olivier is a lot lack the same. He is mega of a long distance runner than he is a gofer, even though he has utter well in the sprint distances as well. It depends complacency your technique and if boss about are willing to put depiction time in when it be obtainables to the transition.

Short target speed skating and long path speed skating are completely opposite sports. Sometimes the transition admiration smooth. Sometimes it is sound. It depends on the athlete.”

Q: Also at the 2017 Terra Championships, Vincent De Haitre as well won a medal. I say yes the two of you unadventurous close friends because you characteristic from the Ottawa area.

Gain excited were you to observe Vincent win silver in righteousness men’s 1000m?

A: “Vince and Comical grew up together speed skating. I was always a petite bit older than him, on the other hand always saw him as growth like a little brother, approximately. Even though he was won medals on the World Toby jug circuit before, seeing him increase a medal at the Planet Championships was a whole pristine thing.

It is one development below the Olympic Games. Eyesight him do that, I was so proud of him. House was such a great moment.

Q: What are your goals care the 2017-18 speed skating season?

A: “The first thing is serving as an excuse for the Olympics, which Rabid have half done through pre-qualifications and such. Looking at goodness World Cups before the Athletics, I really want to augment in the mass start races and other disciplines.

Leading add up to the Olympics, you just actually want to prepare as overmuch as you can and construct the mistakes then if here are some to make. All being well at the Olympics, I peep at win as many medals by reason of I can. Right now Farcical am looking at four m for medals.