Happy 2021!  (The 1st ever odd-numbered Olympic year!)

            News that the vaccine has a) been discovered b) approved federally and c) is already going into arms is astounding. This coupled with the fact that sport calendars are actually getting competition/qualification dates put into them!!! The pendulum has swung – momentum is moving with us once again. 

            The presence of a vaccine is changing everything and yet we still don’t know how it will affect the Olympic Games – it is a massive global event. It would be naïve to think that the Games won’t still require incredible steps of prevention and management. For now – the best thing that you can do – and increasingly you will get to do <wink> – is to continue to focus on your sport prep.

            Olympic competitions in July and August of this year will be amazing and hard fought – focus on that. How the Olympic games will unfold, and by games, I mean everything that happens around an Olympics that isn’t about your start time, performance and finish, remains – for now – unknown.

            For more clarity on both – stay tuned and stay patient. News is coming quickly and we will share it with you asap.

            Through all of the downs and ups of 2020 we have worked hard to keep our communities safe.  I would like to take a moment here to thank all on this team who support our athletes, who kept them safe – mentally and physically – and helped implement return-to-sport opportunities.  We have a massive number of coaches, team leaders/managers, Integrated Support Team members, media attachés, NSO staff, COC staff and Mission Team who sacrificed so much to contribute to Team Canada’s excellence in this extended Olympiad.  Many have already been notified that,  due to reduced Games protocols/programs on site, they will no longer be going to Tokyo.  And yet they continue to be passionate, to believe in and support our athletes and the excellence of Team Canada.

            For those who will come, and for those who will not – as Chef de Mission of Team Canada – I am grateful to you all; and please know that all of Team Canada is grateful also.

            Merci. Thank you.

And now…. Let’s get this 2021 party started!!!

Happy New Year.

Marnie

Please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts or comments. I always appreciate the conversations that follow.

C-A 👏👏 N-A 👏👏 D-A 👏👏 Let’s Go Canada!!