In one of the largest contributions made to the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) Foundation, a donor who wishes to remain anonymous contributed a sum of $500,000 which will be distributed to five athletes over the next five years.
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A committee made up of people from the COC and a representative of the donor identified the lucky five following a selection process which concluded with an interview. The COC also received recommendations from the organization À Nous le Podium for its final choice.
And the winners are snowboarder Eliot Grondin, boxer Tammara Thibeault, acrobatic jumper Marion Thénault, canoeist Sophia Jensen and diver Nathan Zsombor-Murray.
“It’s not the highest amount the Foundation has received, but the person falls into the category of major donors,” said COC head of sport Eric Myles. The main lines were established quickly. The donor trusted us in the choice; he wanted to make a difference in the lives of athletes; and he wanted the scholarship holders to come from Quebec. The biggest challenge was choosing just five. We excluded athletes who have an annual income greater than $150,000.”
More sophisticated equipment for Eliot Grondin
A double medalist at the Beijing Olympic Games, Grondin will be able to rely on more sophisticated equipment thanks to this generous donor. “When you have success, you have to dig deeper to find the budgets that will allow you to continue to improve. This scholarship will allow you to design a personalized board and bindings in addition to covering part of the training costs.
“I heard the news over the holidays and it was a great Christmas present to chase the leader in the cumulative standings in the Snowboard Cross World Cup. It takes a weight off my shoulders and helps me plan. I would like to know the identity of the donor so I can thank them face to face.”
A very emotional recipient
Relying largely on the financial contribution of her parents to achieve her Olympic dream, Jensen is delighted to be able to count on substantial financial assistance for a period of five years. In San Diego where the Canadian team is training, she was crying when she called her mother to share the good news.
Sophia Jensen
Photo AFP
“It’s really touching that someone believes in me for the next five years,” she expressed. I am happy. I count on a few sponsors, but all this money disappears in the purchase of numerous plane tickets to California. Training camps in Nova Scotia are also very expensive.
“This scholarship takes a very big weight off my shoulders, to pursue the 22-year-old canoeist from Outaouais. I will be able to concentrate on my training and on my dream of qualifying for the Olympic Games. This financial assistance will help me a lot to get to Los Angeles in 2028.”
An inspiration
The Canadian selections will take place from April 23 to 28 in California and will continue during the first World Cup in Szeged, Hungary from May 10 to 12. Jensen wants to follow in the footsteps of double Tokyo Games medalist Laurence Vincent Lapointe who retired upon returning from Japan in the summer of 2021. Women’s canoeing found itself on the poster of the Games for the first time in its history.
“I trained with Laurence before she retired and I find her really inspiring,” said the nine-time junior and U-23 world gold medalist. His dedication and motivation have always impressed me.”
An annual assessment
The athletes signed a contract to make it official. “It is not automatic that the scholarship will be renewed and there will be an annual evaluation,” said Myles. On the other hand, an athlete will not lose his scholarship if he misses his Olympic qualification. The athlete will not be penalized if he continues his career.
What will happen with Thibeault who has expressed his desire to make the jump to the professionals after the Paris Olympics? “We discussed this subject in complete transparency with Tammara and she will not be automatically excluded if she ends up in the pros. The stock market makes a big difference for Paris and we will adjust each year. Many female boxers have jobs to make ends meet.”