Two Squamish students have made the cut for the winter Olympics in Pyeongchang this year.
Rosalind Groenewoud and Darren Gardner have been chosen to represent sa国际传媒.
For Groenewoud, the road to Korea has been a hard one 鈥� she鈥檚 had to deal with injuries that would understandably keep any other athlete in the sick bay.
The 2016 Quest University graduate had to overcome a double-knee arthroscopic surgery, a concussion, a blown ACL, MTL and LTL 鈥� virtually all the main ligaments in one of her knees 鈥� and then, to top it off, a broken arm.
Groenewoud, a second-time Olympian from Calgary, earned a spot on the Canadian Olympic freestyle ski team.
鈥淚t took a lot of perseverance,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard not to be jealous of people who from the outside looks like their journey was less strenuous.鈥�
鈥淚 took one injury at a time, just worked at getting back.鈥� she continued. 鈥淚 have an awesome support team in terms of physios and trainers and sports psychs.鈥�
This time around, which is her second trip to the Olympics, Groenewoud will be looking to improve on her seventh-place finish in the inaugural women鈥檚 halfpipe competition in Sochi 2014.
Groenewoud said she鈥檚 looking forward to competing in Korea.
鈥淚 think the Olympics always brings added excitement; added pressure,鈥� she said.
She also said that she made a lot of friends during the last Olympics.
鈥淕etting to see them again and cheer them on is definitely just like a cherry on top,鈥� Groenewoud said. 鈥淭o be able to connect with them again and cheer them on is something that鈥檚 really special about the Olympics.鈥�
For Gardner, this will be his first time representing sa国际传媒 at the Olympics. It seems to be a challenge he鈥檒l be suited for, given his strong performance in last season鈥檚 World Cup.
As part of the snowboard team, he鈥檒l be competing in parallel giant slalom.
Also a Quest University student, the rider from Burlington, Ontario, said making the Olympics has been such a big achievement that it鈥檚 taken a little time for him to process.
鈥淒efinitely feeling super grateful and proud, but my schedule鈥檚 been so busy... it鈥檚 just kind of finally settling in that I鈥檓 going to Korea.鈥� said Gardner. 鈥淸I鈥檓] definitely more excited than anything else.鈥�
It鈥檚 been a lifelong dream for Gardner.
He started hitting the slopes as a four-year-old. Since his father was a member of a snowboard club, his passion for the sport rubbed off on Gardner.
That passion began to snowball for the young rider, especially during the first year snowboarding was accepted as an Olympic sport.
鈥淚 remember watching it with my parents,鈥� said Gardner. 鈥淚 was eight years old. The image of the Canadians riding down the hill was something that really took me. That was something that drove me to, I guess, where I am today.鈥�
It鈥檚 a memory that seems all the more striking now that roles have been reversed 鈥� he will be the one on the other side of the TV screen, possibly inspiring young riders to pursue Olympic dreams.
鈥淚f I can do that for the next generation, that would be more than winning a medal there,鈥� he said.
Both Olympic qualifiers attended Quest under the school鈥檚 Leaders in Elite Athletics & Performance Program (LEAP), which allows elite athletes and performers to attend university with more flexibility in housing, billing, and course scheduling.