Nicolas-Guy Turbide is at a crossroads. His place is still in the pool, he feels it. This is the place where he expresses himself best. If the past is a guarantor of the future, his career in the world of finance will be a success. He nevertheless wants to leave with his head in peace, and above all take the time to better prepare for the aftermath.
The visually impaired swimmer is at the end of his session at Université Laval. He only has a few months left before finally getting his baccalaureate. All academics have experienced the anguish of final exams. This absurd mixture of concentration and surrender. At least the 26-year-old has always been in control of his destiny. On the phone, after an online course, he does not hesitate to describe the last year.
“In terms of results, it’s exceptional. Couldn’t ask for better. »
At the end of last month, the Quebec City native was named Para swimmer of the year by Swimming Canada, for the fifth time in his career.
Among his feats of arms of the last 12 months, there is this title of world champion, acquired in the 100 m backstroke event, in Madeira, Portugal. He also took the top step of the podium after hitting the wall first in the 50m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
These results are amazing, especially considering his recurring injuries. “But I see it in terms of personal improvement,” he insists.
The color of the medal does not matter, at this point in his career, if he manages to beat his personal reference times. “My 50m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games is almost 1.5 seconds slower than what I did in Rio in 2016.”
This prize, therefore, “represents the fruit of all [ses] efforts “.
Where is the succession?
Canadian Para-swimming benefited from the excellence of Benoit Huot, Aurélie Rivard and Nicolas-Guy Turbide. This golden age, during which Canadian swimmers have been prolific, will soon draw to a close.
Witnessing Summer McIntosh’s exploits at the most recent Canadian Trials in Toronto, Turbide was both thrilled and worried. Insofar as if the enthusiasm around Canadian swimming has never been greater, in particular thanks to the prowess of the young 16-year-old prodigy, it is quite different for the Paralympic component.
PHOTO FRANK GUNN, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Summer McIntosh
“What is happening right now on the Olympic side is incredible. It’s awesome. This is unheard of for Canadian swimming. Summer being the best possible example,” he points out.
Better still, Canada can also count on Maggie Mac Neil, Kylie Masse and Penny Oleksiak, among others. “The girls’ depth is made so intense in Canadian swimming that the Canadian Trials are almost as exciting as an international competition,” he says.
On the Paralympic side, the situation is less rosy.
There is a little more limitation. There is less athlete turnover, there are fewer athletes eligible for the Paralympic system and there is less depth.
Nicolas-Guy Turbide
Rivard and he have supported the Paralympic movement for a decade. They brilliantly and humbly took over from their mentor Benoit Huot and they democratized Paralympic swimming in addition to collecting a number of international medals.
The dazzling excitement around Canadian swimming is a good time for the Paralympic movement to look in the mirror, insists the swimmer: “Why are they successful, while we will have more misery in the coming years? ? How are we going to create such a powerful team culture? »
In the meantime, Turbide remains to facilitate the transition between before and after. “I do it because I care about the next generation. »
PHOTO MARKO DJURICA, REUTERS ARCHIVES
Nicolas-Guy Turbide at the Tokyo Paralympic Games
If he refuses to pronounce the word “retirement” for the moment, he also refuses to confirm his commitment to the Paris Games, which will kick off in just under 500 days.
I want to leave knowing that someone is ready to take over.
Nicolas-Guy Turbide
When he thinks of the swimmers of tomorrow, he thinks of Nicholas Bennett. “Extremely talented, hardworking. He is everything the program should represent. »
With amateur sport being performance-based funding, Turbide is a golden goose for the Canadian program. His retirement could be catastrophic if no one is prepared to be so prolific.
Until then, one thing obsesses him more than anything: “To accomplish something that I have not yet accomplished. In such a case, the list of possibilities is rather short.