Canada’s Olympic Dark Horses: Athletes to Watch in Milan-Cortina
Canada arrives in Italy for the Winter Olympics with a contingent poised for success, but beyond the established medal contenders lie a group of athletes quietly building momentum. These competitors, while perhaps not yet household names, are ready to challenge for podium finishes in Milan-Cortina. This report highlights six Canadian athletes flying under the radar who could surprise the world.
Bobsleigh Breakthroughs: Appiah and Lotholz
In the world of bobsleigh, Cynthia Appiah has rapidly emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Despite not being a pre-season favorite, the Toronto native secured a 2nd place finish in Winterberg in monobob, demonstrating her growing prowess. She also achieved a 5th place result in two-man bobsleigh alongside Sklar Sieben. Alberta’s Melissa Lotholz is also making waves,consistently finishing within the top five in monobob World Cup events. Experts suggest she has the potential to disrupt the dominance of the German and American teams.
Skeleton’s Rising Star: Hallie Clarke
At just 19 years old, Hallie Clarke already has a World Championship title under her belt, achieved two years ago. While she hasn’t reached the podium since, Clarke has consistently ranked among the top 10 this season, including a notable 6th place finish on the Olympic track in Cortina d’Ampezzo during a World Cup event last November. This performance signals her readiness for the Olympic stage.
Snowboarding Specialist: Arnaud Gaudet
Arnaud Gaudet is a specialist in parallel giant slalom, a discipline where he’s proven his mettle with a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships. With only the parallel giant slalom event featured in the Olympic program, Gaudet’s focused training has paid off. He recently secured 2nd place at the World Cup in Bansko, Bulgaria, finishing just behind Austrian legend Benjamin Karl.
Speed Skating’s Emerging Talent: Béatrice Lamarche
Béatrice Lamarche is making a name for herself in long track speed skating. After a successful junior career,she’s transitioned to the senior level with increasing success. A shift from long distance to sprint events has proven transformative, culminating in her first solo World Cup podium – a 3rd place finish in the 1000m at Salt Lake City last fall. The Milan-Cortina Games will mark her Olympic debut, carrying on a family legacy as her father Benoît competed in the 1984 and 1988 Games.
alpine Skiing’s Leading lady: Valérie Grenier
Valérie Grenier is considered the leading figure in canadian women’s alpine skiing. Participating in her third Olympic Games, the Franco-Ontarian has five World cup podium finishes to her credit, most recently securing 3rd place in a giant slalom race in Mont-Tremblant last December. She is expected to compete in downhill,super-G,and giant slalom,with the latter being her strongest event. The last Canadian Olympic medal in alpine skiing was a bronze won by Jack Crawford in the combined at the Beijing Games, but with that event removed from the program, Grenier will look to make her mark in the new team combined events.
Freestyle Skiing’s Rising Contender: Dylan Deschamps
Another promising talent from Lac-Beauport, Dylan Deschamps is making strides in freestyle skiing’s big jump events. The 22-year-old Olympic rookie has already secured four World Cup podium finishes and recently earned a bronze medal at the X Games in Colorado in late January. Deschamps’ consistent performance suggests he’s ready to compete with the world’s elite.
These six athletes represent a compelling blend of experience and emerging talent, poised to add excitement and potentially, unexpected medal success to Canada’s Olympic campaign.
