With the 2008 Manitoba Games coming up, Tyler Mislawchuk is keen to qualify — in something, anything.
Because for a 14-year-old, what could be more fun than spending a week with a bunch of pals during the summer?
So, in their Oak Bluff, Man. home, Tyler and his dad Fred frantically scroll through the event website, looking for possibilities for participation. And, because the kid is a natural athlete, there should be options.
A dandy runner, but, unfortunately for Tyler, the track qualifier has come and gone. Golf? The boy can really swing it, but the field is already set.
“So, we keep going down the list to see what sports he can go in, right?” recalls Fred, chuckling. “I’m like, ‘Oh, there’s qualifying for triathlon this week.'”
Which draws a loud groan from Tyler, who, three years earlier, entered a triathlon, won it, then vowed to never do it again.
But since this is the only remaining route to the Manitoba Games, he signs up for triathlon qualifier, triumphs on the day, and gets his ticket punched for Carman, host of the event.
And while Tyler doesn’t end up on the podium at the Manitoba Games, something clicks. “That’s when he kept going,” Fred says of his son’s whole-hearted embracing of triathlon.
Adds Eleanor, his mom: “What Tyler liked about triathlon was what you put into it is exactly what you get out of it. It’s not talent, it’s the ability to put in the work and push through the pain.”
Since then — time invested, teeth clenched — there has been no stopping Tyler.
The young man’s appearance in Paris marks his third Olympic Games.
Tyler’s cohorts on Team Canada — Emy Legault and Charles Paquet, a pair of Olympic first-timers — also have interesting stories about their entries into the sport. Just ask their parents.
Because with triathlon you just never know. Some gravitate to the sport late, intrigued by the multi-sport challenge, while others may jump in early. Like Emy, who began her journey after a simple nudge.
Parents Sylvain Legault and Monica Martel always wanted their girls, Emy and Elissa, to stay busy. “To keep them away from any bad plans or bad friends,” he says. “So, they chose to do what they wanted to do.”
Growing up in Montreal, Emy dabbled in many things, including ballet, but her interest was truly piqued when her big sister began to run competitively. She followed suit. Shortly after, a school teacher who belonged to a local triathlon club, asked Emy to come out. She was only nine.
“And that’s the way she began,” says Sylvain.
For Charles’ family, lining up for Le Triathlon de Port-Cartier in their Quebec home town became something of a tradition. They would all take part.
“This is an important event in our small town,” says Claude, father of Charles. “At school level, the practice of this sport is important, so all primary schools participate.”
By nine years of age, Charles was racing. Soon, he was working with a coach who incorporated activities such as snowshoe racing, cross-country skiing and obstacle courses into the training schedule.
The boy was loving the sport. No different than Tyler. No different than Emy.
For all three of the future Olympians, childhood victories would soon pile up — accompanying their countless kilometres of stroking, spinning, striding.
As the adventure continued, Claude Paquet and Claudia Dupuis — no different than the parents of Emy and Tyler — monitored closely the world of triathlon. That helped Mom and Dad understand the appeal.
“The diversity of sport, the discipline and surpassing oneself fully suits Charles,” Claude says. “It is a quality living environment with extraordinary people. The sportsmanship and spirit of each person is at the forefront.”
Everyone’s sold on the sport. Sylvain says he wouldn’t hesitate to recommend triathlon to others. “We realized it was very demanding, but it was for fun. There was no pressure to perform. You don’t necessarily have to have good results if you’re with kids you enjoy.”
Right now in Eleanor’s inbox is an e-mail from a parent curious about triathlon’s upside. “I say, ‘Just enjoy it in the early years. Enjoy the moment — not what the outcome will be later in life,'” she says. “If your child loves something and it’s a passion, they’ll take themselves on their own path.”
Which, for these three triathletes, has led them to Paris. The parents will attend the races — July 30 for men, July 31 for women — and, yes, they could not be more proud.
Because these folks are aware of what it means to face adversity, to overcome dejection. Around every corner are mettle-testing challenges — injuries, bike crashes, transition-zone mishaps, equipment malfunction, inexplicably bad days. “It takes a lot,” says Eleanor. “You do know how many obstacles come up for an athlete.”
Now, having persevered, having paid dues, their children are days away from racing for Olympic glory.
“We are experiencing this moment of excitement as a family,” says Claude. “It is the culmination of years of effort and commitment to the wonderful sport of triathlon. Despite the pitfalls, it is his resilience that allowed him to get to where he is now and to realize his full potential.
“We are extremely proud of the athlete and the person he has become.”