Player's Own Voice podcast: Chef de mission Catriona Le May Doan talks Beijing 2022
Speed skating great leading Canada's team for upcoming Winter Olympics
Winter Olympics occupy a unique place in the hearts of Canadian sports fans.
They are one of the rare sweet spots where national pride reliably lines up with winning results. We can swagger, a little, with apologies, when the games of snow and ice are underway.
And maybe, with the Beijing Winter Olympics' fast approach, there's reason to celebrate early. Catriona Le May Doan was named chef de mission for 2022 on Tuesday. A reminder of what the speed skater accomplished as an athlete: for about five years around the turn of the millennium, Le May Doan was the one sprinter no one could catch. She literally broke the record for broken records. She's the only woman ever to set eight consecutive world records in one distance.
So with three Olympic medals around her neck, including gold in 1998 and 2002, Le May Doan brings a lived experience of winning to her new role. She's also an author, Hall of Famer and Order of Canada recipient. It would seem to be an understatement to say Canada's current crop of winter athletes are in good hands.
Player's Own Voice Podcast host (and fellow speed skater) Anastasia Bucsis draws Catriona Le May Doan into friendly and funny talk about the road ahead for Team Canada, strategies for safe sport and even some gentle ribbing about Le May Doan's mature passion for rec hockey. Spoiler alert: nobody beats her to the puck, ever, but as for her stick work? Umm, next question please.
Like the CBC Sports' Player's Own Voice essay series, the POV podcast lets athletes speak to Canadians about issues from a personal perspective. To listen to all three seasons, subscribe for free on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Tune In or wherever you get your other podcasts.
And host Anastasia Bucsis is now teaming up with co-host Signa Butler to deliver new Player's Own Voice In studio video conversations too.