Catriona Le May Doan
As much as she craved medals as a competitor, Catriona Le May Doan may have desired this even more.
“I was so wound up the night before,” said Le May Doan, recently named chef de mission for the 2022 Canadian Olympic team. “I had a call from the Olympic committee, we had a tiny bit of small talk and I'm thinking, just tell me!
“They said, `congratulations, we'd like you to be chef,' and I burst into tears because that's how badly I wanted it.”
Winner of two Olympic gold medals in speedskating, Le May Doan shifted seamlessly into broadcasting and motivational speaking. Currently, she's president and CEO of Sport Calgary.
But it was her role as lead athlete mentor in 2018 that whet her appetite for something more.
“It was a big move to step away from media, to take a month off work and volunteer on the mission team,” Le May Doan said. “But it really emphasized that I wanted to do this role. Especially at this time, I'm so driven and passionate about how important sport is and has to be in our lives. I want to help with the messaging any way I can.”
Le May Doan will have some help from friends, including Marnie Mcbean, chef of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games. She wants the athletes to get to know her and her philosophy of sport.
“Marnie's been a great resource and the COC has a great team that will help me,” she said. “As soon as we can be in person, my plan is to try and meet up with the athletes. I've dealt with devastation at Games and incredible highlights. I have two teenage kids; there isn't much I haven't faced.
“I'm separated; people assume my life is perfect. I'm not about to judge anybody. I want them to know I'm a safe place. I want them to know that I'm there for them.
“It's my dream, but it's my dream to now give back and help them have their best experience.”