Darwin boy a Canadian star

AUSTRALIAN Chris Spring is one of the world’s best bobsleigh drivers and a major medal chance at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

And he credits his rise to his defection to Canada.

The 33-year-old represented his birth nation at the 2010 Vancouver Games, placing 22nd in the two-man event.

Having moved to Calgary on a one-year working visa at age 23, he became a Canadian citizen in 2013 and, a year later, was seventh in the two-man and 13th in the four for his adopted country in Sochi.

In 2018, the Darwin-born Spring has risen to world No. 3 in two-man bobsleigh and sixth in four-man after a stellar past two years. He stands by his decision to swap allegiances, not just for the greater access to resources but pride in wearing the maple leaf.

“I feel Canadian,” Spring said in PyeongChang. “I don’t remember the last time I sang the Australian anthem and I have gotten to sing O Canada at the top of the podium.

“I’m not denouncing where I was born. I’m also proud to be Australian but I’m definitely proud to represent Canada at the Olympics.”

After the mediocre result in Vancouver, Spring expressed frustration with the Australian system as he struggled for funding.

He has urged Australia to better support its sliding athletes but understands it may not be in a position to do so.

“There’s no way I could be in the position I am in life financially right now if I kept sliding for Australia,” he said.