Jasmin Glaesser, Canadian cyclist, loyal to maple leaf
'This is my way of giving back to a country that took me in'
Could you imagine finishing first in a national competition and not being able to collect your prize?
That was cyclist Jasmin Glaesser's reality until she officially became a Canadian citizen in 2011.
Despite starting her cycling career in Canada, she was unable to compete for her country while she had a German cycling identification card.
"At my first junior national championship I came first in the road race and time trial, but I wasn't named champion and I wasn't allowed to get the jersey or the medal," said the 23-year old. "It was really tough.
"I was working really hard and it just seemed like a formality. I already considered myself a Canadian at heart."
Glaesser now internationally ranked Canadian
Glaesser was born in Germany. Her family moved to Seattle, Wash., when she was eight-years old, then to Canada when she was 10.
Glaesser now calls Vancouver home. In terms of her cycling career, she hasn't looked back since officially becoming a Canadian citizen in September of 2011. Her citizenship ceremony was just 10 days before the Guadalajara Pan Am Games, where she won gold in the team pursuit.
"Becoming Canadian was kind of the start of my journey as an athlete," Glaesser told CBC Sports.
"When I finally got to go up on the start line wearing the maple leaf, that was one of the most unforgettable moments in my career.
"I just felt so fortunate."
When it came to her citizenship, competing for Germany or the U.S. was never a question for Glaesser.
"My friends and pretty much all my experiences in the sport were in Canada," she said. "So it never crossed my mind to compete for anyone else."
Onwards and upwards
Since becoming a Canadian, Glaesser has continued developing under the evolving Canadian cycling program. This is evident from her performance at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games where she won four medals: on the track, she helped Canada win gold in team pursuit, and finished with silver in omnium. On the road, she claimed another silver in the time trial as well as gold in the women's road race.
"To be able to truly call this home and truly call myself Canadian, that's really never lost that special feeling," said Glaesser.
"Having had to earn that always makes it a little bit more special to step up at the start line and represent Canada."
Glaesser is competing at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre this weekend in Milton, Ont., for the National Track Championships. She has to go through this meet without sporting a good luck charm representative of her journey; a maple leaf necklace she received after winning bronze in London 2012.
"I actually broke it. I have to get it repaired," said Glaesser.
"I have a necklace now my fiancee gave to me, but it's a placeholder until I get my maple leaf back."