TWO TIME OLYMPIAN speed skater Ivanie Blondin (centre) with medalist Jordan Pierre-Gillis (right) and two-time Olympic coach and CBC journalist Anastasia Bucsis. Photos by Tom Godfrey.
Two top Canadian speed skaters were in the community recently to practice with local up-and-coming fast skaters.
Ivanie Blondin and Jordan Pierre-Gillis were at the Ford Performance Centre, formerly the Mastercard Center, to work out with members of the Toronto Speed Skating Club (TSSC), which hosted a Medals on Tour event on September 14.
The athletes are used to a steady stream of autograph seekers and those who wanted selfies with them and their medals.
LOCAL SPEED SKATERs were thrilled to skate with above top Canadian award winning athletes.
“It is great to be here and to travel the country and meet the younger skaters,” Blondin said. “We are trying to inspire the younger generation to get into the sport.”
She signed up for the sport after meeting 2006 Winter Olympics skater Amanda Overland as a girl.
Pierre-Gillis said they are raising awareness of the sport to a new generation of people.
“If you like speed then you would like this sport,” he said. “We love being out here and encouraging and helping to motivate young people to try the sport.”
Speed Skating Canada and Intact Insurance partnered on a cross-country tour that took top World Cup, World Championship and Olympic medalists to six communities across the country.
Anastasia Bucsis, a two time Olympic coach for long track and journalist for CBC, said young skaters look up and learn from their more experienced colleagues.
“This is a great sport and we are trying to get connected with kids,” Bucsis explained. “Ontario has a great track record in this sport.”
Ken George, of the TSSC, said it is important that his fast skaters meet and learn from medal winning athletes. “They can learn a lot from the champions,” he said.
SPEED SKATER Pierre-Gillis signs a helmet for young aspiring skater.
Blondin moved to Calgary in 2010 to focus on long track and has become one of Canada’s most decorated and well-rounded skaters, according to Speed Skating Canada.
She has won a total of 60 World Cup medals, including gold in five different disciplines – 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m, Mass Start and Team Pursuit – during the 2019-2020 season.
The Ottawa native made her Olympic debut at Sochi 2014 earning a fifth-place result in the Team Pursuit. She followed that up by posting top-six finishes in the Team Pursuit, 3,000-metres and 5,000-metres in her second Olympic appearance at PyeongChang 2018.
Pierre-Gilles joined the World Cup circuit mid-way through the 2019-2020 season and quickly showed that he has what it takes to compete against the world’s best.
The Sherbrooke native earned four top-10 results in his inaugural World Cup campaign and ended his first season by winning his first gold medal in the men’s relay.