Gilmore Junio: 'It's time to write my own story'
Olympic folk hero wants consistency, podium on speed skating's World Cup circuit
Gilmore Junio was a hot-headed speed skater long before his display of sportsmanship at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and his emergence as a top Canadian talent on the World Cup circuit.
"It might be hard to believe but I broke my hand a few times punching walls and chairs after races," the personable Junio said over the phone from Harbin, China, site of this weekend's World Cup opener. "I would go from emotional highs to being super down on myself after bad races."
Everything changed for Junio, on and off the ice, after he signed up for yoga lessons two years ago on the advice of his coach, Michael Crowe.
Initially, the Calgary native viewed the physical, mental and spiritual practices as merely another training method, but the sight of elderly women doing poses Junio couldn't comprehend allowed him to be at peace "looking ridiculous" and making mistakes.
"I'm still getting the benefits from breathing and being in those poses, being in the moment and not caring what's going on around me," Junio said. "That's one of the biggest things that has calmed me down.
"It has allowed me to go through training and life more unassuming, being excited for where I'm at in that moment, staying grounded and not being too caught up in results, numbers and the Olympics, which is easy to do."
Junio once was an athlete that took things too seriously but he was laughing with his national teammates at last month's long track fall World Cup selections at Calgary's Olympic Oval before finishing first in his signature distance of the 500 metres in a scorching 34.51 seconds.
"I think I've had my best results when I'm calm and being myself and not trying to change too many things," he said.
Heading into an Olympic year [in 2018] it's important to establish your confidence and ability to perform on-demand.- Canadian long track speed skater Gilmore Junio
Junio, who placed third in the overall World Cup rankings last season, said the plan is to maintain that momentum. He wants to finish in the top five at February's world single distance championships in Gangneung, South Korea and in the overall World Cup standings.
"The biggest word around our team is consistency," said Junio, whose goal of finishing top eight at each international 500 competition remains from a year ago. "Heading into an Olympic year [in 2018] it's important to establish your confidence and ability to perform on-demand. We view eighth place and better as a consistent benchmark."
Junio describes himself as a "regular 26-year-old guy" that likes to hang out with friends. He also enjoys playing guitar and is a tech junkie, whether it's iPhones, computers or video game consoles.
But to many Canadians, Junio is best known for his generosity four years ago at the Winter Games when he surrendered his spot in the men's 1,000 to teammate Denny Morrison, who won silver.
"It was an amazing time in my life and something I don't regret. Seeing Denny on that podium validated everything for me," said Junio, who had earlier finished 10th in the 500. "It was great Canada and the world got to know me on a more personal level, but at the end of the day I am an athlete and what I want to accomplish is getting on the podium.
"Like Denny told me, it's time to write my own story."
Morrison returns
Junio said he and his 19 teammates are excited about Morrison's return to the international scene this weekend after the 31-year-old from Fort St. John, B.C., was injured in a 2015 motorcycle crash, and then suffered a stroke earlier this year. In Sochi, Morrison also won Olympic bronze in the 1,500.
The Canadians will try to build on the 30 medals won last season, the team's best showing since the 2008-09 campaign. Leading the way in 2016-17 is Calgary's Ted-Jan Bloemen, Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin and Alex Boisvert-Lacroix of Sherbrooke, Que., all of whom medalled at last year's world single distance championships.
Five of Canada's male skaters, including Junio and Boisvert-Lacroix, cracked the top 13 in the 500 overall World Cup rankings while Christopher Fiola will skate the 500 and 1,000 at his World Cup debut this weekend.
"Seeing his progress from being a young [inline speed skater in the summer] to converting to ice and being amongst the best sprinters … I'm really stoked for him," Junio said.
Winnipeg's Heather McLean is someone to watch on the women's side after she won her first three medals on the World Cup circuit last season.
"To see how far we've come [as a team] from those rebuilding days after Jeremy [Wotherspoon], Catriona [Le May Doan] and Clara [Hughes] left [the sport] we're trying to put our names in that legacy of Speed Skating Canada and write our own story. I think we're doing a pretty good job."
Canada's national long track team for Harbin, China
WOMEN
- Ivanie Blondin, Ottawa – 1,000, 3,000, mass start
- Noémie Fiset, Quebec City – 500, 1,000, 1,500
- Marsha Hudey, White City, Sask. – 500
- Kaylin Irvine, Calgary – 500, 1,000
- Béatrice Lamarche, Quebec City – 1,000, 1,500, mass start
- Heather McLean, Winnipeg – 500
- Brianne Tutt, Airdrie, Alta. – 1,500, 3,000
- Isabelle Weidemann, Ottawa – 1,500, 3,000
MEN
- Jordan Belchos, Toronto – 5,000, mass start
- Ted-Jan Bloemen, Calgary – 5,000
- Alex Boisvert-Lacroix, Sherbrooke, Que. – 500
- Vincent de Haître, Cumberland, Ont. – 1,000, 1,500
- Laurent Dubreuil, Levis, Que. – 500, 1,000
- William Dutton, Humboldt, Sask. – 500
- Christopher Fiola, Montreal – 500, 1,000
- Olivier Jean, Lachenaie, Que. – Mass start
- Gilmore Junio, Calgary – 500
- Richard MacLennan, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – 1,000, 1,500
- Denny Morrison, Fort St. John, B.C. – 1,500
- Alexandre St-Jean, Quebec City – 1,000