Commonwealth Games wrap up hectic competition for Canadian athletes

Separated by 8 time zones, but only 4 In the day, Salamiton and her Canadian teammates had little time to wash and refill between the World Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Mitten, who won the gold medal in the women's shot put in Birmingham, England, is amazed at the physical and emotional sacrifice of fighting in two big events in a row. I did.

"It's funny. I thought it would be easier than before," she said. A 26-year-old woman in Brooklyn said. She said, "Yes, two championships, it's two chances." But the world robs you more than you expect, so I'm glad it was the first time.

The World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon was delayed by a year to make room for the late Tokyo Olympics last summer.

This is the same story for swimming, where the World Championships have been postponed for almost a year this May in Budapest.

The knock-on effect was a series of international events for many of Canada's top summer sports athletes.

For Mitten, the federal title came shortly after the tragic fourth-place finish in the world, which ended in a bronze tiebreak countback. Between the two events, she became infected with COVID-19 for the first time in eight months, causing anxious moments about her trip from western Oregon to the United Kingdom.

Several celebrities competed in Birmingham, including swimmer Penny Oleksiak, sprinter Andre De Grasse, and Aaron Brown.

Lucia Stafford, who finished 11th in the women's 1,500 meters last week, pointed out that during 365 days she participated in both the World Indoor Athletics Championships and the Commonwealth Games Olympics.

"If you're having a good year, the momentum can really get over you, but when you throw in a COVID, there are all these extra hurdles, so you have to compete back to back. It's really, really tough not to be, "Staffford said. "I've had a bit of a tough year, so my idea was just to be a sponge and absorb everything as much as possible. It's hard to bounce mentally. But what do you know. Everyone.

The tournament concludes with a closing ceremony on Monday, with many athletes leading Canadian beach volleyball champions Sarapaban and Melissa Humana Paredes. There is no doubt that he was planning to follow. Victory with pizza and beer on Sunday.

"It's definitely built for a very long season," said Para-swimmer Katarina Roxon, who entered the Commonwealth Games a few weeks after winning the bronze medal at the World Championships. rice field. "And while everyone is on vacation, having fun and spending downtime, we definitely test how difficult it is to get back from competition to training, but still train and in another competition. We need to be prepared. ”

On the plus side, the integration of healthy and Paralympic athletes at the Commonwealth Games was worth extending the season for a few more weeks.

"I loved joining this team. This is my fourth Commonwealth game and this is the best we've ever engaged with each other. And I think it's a way healthy people (swimmers) are rooting for us. We are one complete team and united on a daily basis. It was a great experience. "

Josh Reend won three medals and hosted the FINA World Championships. The 19-year-old boy took advantage of that momentum to win another four medals, including a 100-meter butterfly gold medal.

The rising star in Toronto said he had a lot to learn from the busy summer.

"I would definitely have done a better job. I'm not going to lie. This tournament feels a little better. It definitely hurts a bit," Reend said. "There is certainly something to be learned about preparation and rebounding to another tournament." He was on the medal podium several times during the FINA World Championships and the competition.

"It was difficult to keep my motivation (at the competition) as high as the World Championships, so I had to find a goal different from performance at all costs to motivate myself every day. "I did," said Riverd, who won the silver medal at 200 am in Birmingham.

"So, especially at my age (26) now, after the 12th and 13th summers, I enjoyed more processes, enjoyed the experience and always have to look for I'm trying not to. Kim. I'm grateful for what I have, I'm trying to thank for the experience, and I know we don't hold Commonwealth Games often, I just tried to really enjoy it. "

The COVID condensed years continue to influence athletes. It is usually held every two years, with another World Athletics Championships in Budapest next summer and the World Indoor Championships in winter.

For the first time, the FINA World Championships in June opened four times in four years.

Santiago, Chile will host the 2023 Pan American Games and, of course, the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 8, 2022.