Your Olympic story continues, Islanders told
Embrace the moment, as difficult and uncertain as it is.
That was Marnie McBean’s message in an open letter she sent to Canada’s Tokyo Olympic hopefuls Thursday on the oneyear-out anniversary of the postponed Games.
More than 60 Island-based athletes are expected to compete for Canada in the delayed Tokyo Olympics next summer. The 2020 Summer Games were originally scheduled to start today. The three-time Olympic goldmedallist rower McBean is the chef de mission of the Canadian team to Tokyo.
“I can’t help but wonder: What is today? Is it a recognition of a missed year? Or a celebration of one year out? Either way, it’s part of your story,” McBean wrote to the Tokyo hopefuls.
“Everything that has (or hasn’t) happened in the last six months, and what will happen in the coming year, is part of your story. So here you are. You had a goal and a plan. You were sent home. Your plan was put on hold. More accurately, your plan was thrown in the garbage — your goal was not. Your story continues.
“Your 2020 Olympic story is being written by you. It includes all the work and competition that led up to the global COVID-19 shutdown. It includes everything that you’ve been doing since February and it will include everything that will come in the next year. No matter what happens, continue to figure out a story that you’ll be proud to share.”
McBean pointed to what Canadian Tokyo Olympic hopefuls have been doing in the time since the Summer Games were postponed, including “Pam Buisa, supported by [fellow Olympic-team rugby-players] Josiah Morra and Charity Williams, organizing a peace rally for Black Lives in Victoria.”
“I couldn’t be prouder of the story that you’re telling so far,” McBean wrote.
Pat Kay of Duncan, a player on the Canadian men’s sevens rugby team, which has qualified for Tokyo, said McBean’s was among several inspirational messages he received Thursday denoting the significance of the day.
“I have the same mindset going into next year that I had coming into this year,” said the Cowichan Secondary graduate.
“I am staying positive and motivated. It’s hard to tell what will happen because this situation is always changing. But a year is a long time. I am preparing to compete next summer.”
That is what McBean would like to hear.
“As it always has been with sport, we can’t predict the end. Win or lose: that’s always been the game of it,” she wrote to the Tokyo hopefuls.
“One year from now, five years from now, or 20 years from now, you’ll be sharing your story. This incredibly unique story.”