3 Edmonton athletes working towards the Olympics at RBC Training Ground
Three young women from Edmonton have been selected as "future Olympians" by a program that tests, identifies, and then funds athletes with podium potential.
RBC Training Ground finds athletes between the ages of 14 and 25 to help "fuel the Canadian Olympic pipeline."
The program has unearthed talents like Kelsey Mitchell, a cyclist from Sherwood Park who won a gold medal at last summer's Olympics in Tokyo.
"She is just an unreal athlete. Like, she's one of my role models and that anyone would put our names in the same sentence is crazy," said 22-year-old weightlifter-turned-cyclist Erin Watchman.
Watchman is one of this year's top Training Ground performers.
"I hope maybe in eight years, or so I can get close to where she is," she said of Mitchell.
One of the other athletes selected has a last name that will be familiar in Edmonton.
16-year-old Ava Ference is the daughter of retired Oilers' captain Andrew Ference. Her mom Krista was a professional snowboarder who competed in four X-Games.
Rugby player Ava Ference. (Source: TSN)
"Being immersed in that culture, and in that life, definitely helps a lot," Ava said.
It was at her dad's insistence she looked into rugby, and it's working out.
'IT'S GETTING MORE TANGIBLE'
"He was like, 'Hey, you should watch this!' And I was like, 'Yeah, for sure.' And then I remember watching it and I was like, 'What is this?' And I instantly fell in love," she recalled.
Now, Ava trains with both girls and boys teams, and hopes to inspire other young women to do the same.
"Like, oh! If she's doing it, you know, why can't I? Or like, being that kind of inspiration for other girls to play at the highest level."
Another local rugby player that made the Training Ground top-30 is Cassie Jorgenson
"It was a pretty big shock for me to make the top 30. I was not expecting that," she said.
Jorgenson applied to Training Ground on a whim by submitting her stats while she was bored in quarantine. She mostly plays rugby, but isn't limiting herself to that.
"The rowers really like me cause I'm lanky," Jorgenson said with a laugh.
Rugby player Cassie Jorgenson. (Source: University of Alberta)
For now, she's working on a degree at the University of Alberta, with her sights set on a career in sports psychology. While that's a workload on its own, she's also not giving up on her Olympic dream.
"It's something that is far out, but it's getting more tangible," she said.
Applications for this year's competition will open in the next few weeks, just ahead of the Beijing Olympics that start on Feb. 4.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Carlyle Fiset
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.