Q&A MARK OLDERSHAW

Sport: Canoe, C-1 1,000 metres Competes: Monday, Tuesday Born: Feb. 7, 1983 Height: Six-foot-one Weight: 207 pounds Hometown: Burlington, Ont. Birthplace: Burlington, Ont.

Q How did you get in to your sport?

A My parents were both coaches at the Burloak Canoe Club. My grandfather also went to the Olympics in canoeing and kayaking, as well as my two uncles and my father were both Olympians. Q What do you consider your biggest strength as an athlete? A I think my strengths as an athlete are my strength, for one. I know I can pull that paddle and move that canoe really well, as well as just a natural feel for the water. I grew up in a canoe, at the canoe club, I’ve spent a lot of time on the water, and I think I just have that natural connection to the water when I’m in my boat.

Q You married an Olympian (Annamay Pierse) and she was accomplished in her own right as a swimmer. Is there anything you can glean from her, as a former athlete?

A My wife was an amazing swimmer, she was a world-record holder, so there’s definitely things I can learn from her . ... I have to be away a lot from her and it’s difficult, but she totally gets it and she understands what I’m doing and what I’m going through and just having someone to talk to who completely gets what I’m going through has been an amazing help.

Q Is there something cool about being a paddler and a Canadian? It just seems to be so Canadian.

A I didn’t really realize it until a couple of years ago. We went to a competition and we really hung out with some of the other paddlers there from other countries. We were just sitting around a dinner table and they were telling us how cool Canadian paddlers were: you started the sport, it’s Canadian, it’s canoeing, it must be such an honour to be a Canadian paddler. And you know, it never really dawned on us until we saw it from an outside view, but it’s such a part of our history as a country being in a canoe.