Player's Own Voice podcast: NASCAR on ice with Jackson Tomlinson
Special Olympics short track speed skater wins on ice and in the workplace
Speed skater Jackson Tomlinson recently won two gold medals and one bronze medal at the Special Olympics National Games. But those big wins aren't really what turns the short tracker's crank.
Like many young men, the Milton, Ont., native just loves going extremely fast. He calls speed skating "NASCAR on ice" — a good line for anybody to coin, regardless of where they land on the spectrum of neuro-diversity.
Tomlinson is delighted to talk shop with his speed skating 'spirit animal' Anastasia Bucsis, herself an Olympic long track speed skater, and host of the Player's Own Voice podcast. When Tomlinson details the confidence he gained on ice, and how it followed him into other areas of life, he is an embodiment of many of the societal benefits of inclusion.
Tomlinson is a very fast and very inspiring man, and he carries a message about the importance of doing what you love that ought to resonate with everyone.
Like the CBC Sports' Player's Own Voice essay series, 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.