BURSTThe University of Victoria was buzzing with excitement on Saturday as hundreds of young athletes gathered in the school’s gym in the hopes of one day representing Canada on the world stage.
The free event, which drew over 200 contestants to the CARSA Field House, offered 14- to 25-year-old participants the chance to test their Olympic mettle in a series of speed, strength, power and endurance tests.
The top 100 athletes from this and other RBC Training Ground events will be invited to a national final, where up to 35 people will each earn over $70,000 in funding to further develop in their sport.
Now entering its 11th year, the talent program has discovered potential in more than 20,000 athletes – many in sports they had never considered – and helped 28 Canadian athletes win 12 Olympic medals.
One of those medal winners, canoe-kayak athlete Sophia Jensen, was cheering on this year’s participants at the Victoria event.
“It’s … super important to have RBC or just have somebody believe in you as a younger athlete,” she said. “It’s definitely helped my development.”
Jensen explained that before her years-long journey that led to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she was predominantly a cross-country skier. But when RBC Training Ground caught wind of her strength and endurance, she was offered a chance to focus her training on the water.
“RBC played such a vital role in my Olympic journey,” she said. “Always falling back and having RBC’s support was just so meaningful as a young, developing athlete. I didn’t want to let them down and I didn’t want to let myself down. And with them supporting me, I just never let myself give up.”
Rugby player Krissy Scurfield, who won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was also at the event.
“I think what RBC Training Ground does so well is allow the ability for athletes to try another event without the financial strain, which is really nice,” she said. “That cost alleviation is so beneficial for athletes because then there’s no reason as to why they wouldn’t try it, and it allows them to really start and take on a whole new career that might blossom into going to the Olympics.”
As beep tests, sprints and jumps transpired throughout the afternoon, it became clear Victoria is home to a large contingent of talented athletes – all of them just waiting to be discovered by Olympic coaches.
“We look at the number of Olympians or Paralympians that come from Vancouver Island, and it’s big,” said RBC Training Ground’s technical director Evan MacInnis. “We know that the talent is out there. The numbers, considering the population for RBC Training Ground, are really good.”
He added RBC Training Ground was “guaranteed to find talent” at the UVic event.
Other trials take place in Surrey, Calgary, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax and Whitehorse this year.