Rolling Hills athlete selected for Olympic talent search national final

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 4, 2024.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

A Rolling Hills athlete has been named as one of the 100 finalists in RBC Training Ground, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s official cross-country talent search.

Hayden Lester, a 14-year-old competitive swimmer and hockey player from Rolling Hills, has been told she has Olympic potential in Luge.

“Hayden has a strong interest in luge, the athletic abilities needed, and a real enthusiasm for learning and developing in the sport,” said Sam Edney, high performance director, Luge Canada. “We’re excited to see her at the final.”

Lester was one of 2,500 athletes (aged 14-25) from a wide range of sports who participated in free local qualifier events across the country, performing core speed, strength, power and endurance tests in front of Olympic talent scouts to either find the sport for which they are most suited, or earn a funding boost in their existing sport based on their raw physical abilities.

She was also one of 40 JR/SR High students throughout all of Alberta that have been selected to be part of the Minister of Education’s Youth Council for 2024/25.

The top 100 deemed to have great Olympic potential will compete in the RBC Training Ground national final on Nov. 2 in Halifax. Thirty athletes from the final will earn funding, a spot on Team Canada with one of 12 partner National Sport Organizations and an accelerated path to the Olympics.

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