VandenBroek racing in Argentina
Grace VandenBroek continues to add to her rowing resume and collect stamps on her passport.
The 18-year-old Peterborough native and Trent Excalibur rower left Monday to compete at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina starting Thursday and running until Oct. 18 with the rowing competition between Friday and Tuesday.
She is the lone rower among 71 Canadian athletes representing 37 sports. She is being accompanied by her Rowing Canada NextGen coach and Peterborough resident Carol Love.
It comes after a busy summer where VandenBroek placed eighth in a single scull at the World Rowing Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. It was her second trip to that event after winning a bronze medal in a double in 2017. She also debuted at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in Poland finishing fifth in women’s quad sculls.
“There is a lot going on,” said VandenBroek, after winning the single sculls race at Saturday’s Head of the Trent Regatta.
“I’m trying to be with the varsity team as much as possible and training with them because it’s so much fun to train with them. They always have a good time and are successful. Right now, I am trying to focus on the next couple of weeks and when I get back shift gears again and go back to varsity.”
She’s excited for the spectacle of opening and closing ceremonies and seeing athletes in other sports.
“We’re all living together at the Olympic village so when I’m not at the rowing course I’ll be there with them. When my racing is done I’ll hopefully be there a lot more with them, too. I’m so excited to go. I think it will be a really cool opportunity.”
As the only Canadian rower it will be different than the world championships she’s attended with teammates.
“It’s going to be different not having those other rowers around and that support but I do have Carol there. I’m going to do my best to treat it like any other race and do the best I can.”
She’s trying to take as much as she can out of each international experience.
“Rowing in the single at junior worlds I learned so much about myself. That was the biggest race I had done as a single. It’s just you out there and you learn a lot about what you need. It’s all up to you which is a scary thing and exciting, too,” she said.
“I learned a lot at U23’s being with older, more mature athletes. The facilities we had and equipment we used was so interesting and cool. I think that really helped me moving into the single. I was able to take what I learned from these older, mature athletes and use it myself and bring it to the other juniors as well. It was really an amazing experience. Rowing in a bigger boat gave me that feel of going faster and quicker which was definitely helping because something I struggle with is getting my stroke rate up.”
She’s not sure how many from the worlds field will be in Argentina.
“I’m not trying to put a ton of pressure on it but at the same time, obviously, I want to be successful and represent Canada well,” she said.
The event is a showcase for future Olympians.
“It’s just another race I can have under my belt and put on my resume,” VandenBroek said.
“It’s such a cool thing to be able to be a part of. Obviously, my final goal is the Olympics but these little baby steps along the way are helping me get there.”