Get to know some of Team Canada’s Tokyo 2020 hopefuls!
As the rescheduled Olympic Summer Games approach, we want to celebrate the athletes who will test their skills among the international competition. Our team at Talent Bureau is always keeping up with our amazing Canadian athletes, and we wanted to share a few of the best to watch as all eyes turn to Tokyo this summer!
Rosie MacLennan, Trampoline Gymnastics
MacLennan became a fan favourite at the London 2012 Olympics when she won Canada’s first-ever trampoline gold medal! She made history at Rio 2016 when she repeated that gold-medal win being the first trampolinist to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.
Did you know? Rosie first started trampolining at the age of 8!
An alumna of the University of Toronto, Rosie is hard at work pursuing her master’s in Exercise Science when she isn’t winning the gold.
Watch: Rosie relives her first-ever gold medal!
Sean McColl, Lead Climbing
Sean McColl’s Olympic dreams became a possibility with the addition of sport climbing to the Tokyo 2020 programme. The self-proclaimed “natural born climber” is the IFSC Athletes’ Commissions President (since 2012) and has advocated for the sport by making multiple presentations to the IOC.
Curious to know how to train to become an Olympic sport climber? Check out this podcast where Sean talks about his training routine.
In 2019, McColl secured his spot in Tokyo in a combined event at the 2019 IFSC World Championships. Thus far, he has earned 34 World Cup medals in lead climbing and bouldering.
Way to go, Sean
Aaron Brown, Sprinter – 100 and 200 m
Young track star, Aaron Brown, has already represented Canada twice at the Olympic level. He was part of the unforgettable 4x100m relay alongside Andre De Grasse, Akeem Haynes, Brendon Rodney and Bolade Ajomale, which placed in bronze at Rio 2016. What a team!
Did you know? Aaron will be cheered on by his wife and new son, Kingsley, in these Olympic games. Too cute!
Now, Aaron is back, looking at more potential victories in Tokyo! We’re excited to see the Canadian track team back in action this summer.
Need a new motto? Aaron lives by the saying: “to be number 1; you must train like your number two”.
Annie Guglia, Skateboarding
Montreal-native Annie Guglia earned the title of Canadian street skateboarding champion in March of 2020. Annie is a strong competitor and raises hope of a Canadian medal in the skateboarding competition- featured for the first time in the Olympic programme.
Beyond passionate about her thrilling sport, she even wrote her master’s thesis on the skateboard industry!
Check out Annie’s Instagram videos to see behind-the-scenes content and her fire skills.
Erica Wiebe, Wrestling
Erica Wiebe started her Olympic career in Rio 2016 with a gold medal in wrestling. Her journey began in 2007 with her first international appearance at the Pan Am Games. She then found herself at the London 2012 Olympics as a training partner to Leah Callahan.
Erica holds Canada’s third medal in women’s wrestling. The only other competitors to have won an Olympic medal in wrestling are Tonya Verbeek and Carol Huynh. With her eyes set on regaining her 2016 title, we’re excited to see this wrestling powerhouse compete in August.
Kia Nurse, Basketball
Ah, to have the athletic genes of the Nurse family. Kia Nurse has represented her country greatly at multiple international competitions including FIBA and the Pan Am Games. She led her U-16 FIBA team to a bronze medal in 2011. In 2015, she and her Canadian teammates won the gold at both the Pan Am Games and at FIBA American Championships.
One of the many legendary Nurse athletes, we’re sure Kia will stun us with her athletic skill once again in Tokyo.