The Rollercoaster: A look at two athletes’ journeys from Tokyo 2020 to Tokyo 2021

Over the course of three 20-minute chapters, I delve into how the past year has gone for two Olympic hopefuls — diver Celina Toth, and wheelchair racer Austin Smeenk.

It would be Toth’s first Olympics, but she hasn’t qualified yet, one of two dive team spots is still open for her to chase. But with so many delayed and disorganized competitions, she still doesn’t know if she will get a shot at the podium.

Smeenk, on the other hand, has already qualified based on his 2019 rankings. For him the past year has been about staying focused despite not being able travel to compete.

Both are trying to stay focused during a year like no other.

The Rollercoaster: Chapter 1: Delayed

Meet two Olympic hopefuls, diver Celina Toth and wheelchair racer Austin Smeenk. It’s June 2020, the Olympics have been postponed and the pandemic is in its early days. Hear their attempts to make sense of their training, their mindset, and the choices they must make, some of which are easier than others.

The Rollercoaster: Chapter 2: Uncertainty

In Chapter two, we will check in with Celina again, this time in April 2021, to find out how the past eight months have been and how she is feeling about Tokyo 2021. It has not been an easy journey to say the least. Also hear from a sport psychology researcher, Zoe Poacher, about her research on the mental health of Olympic athletes during the pandemic, she has her own thoughts and recommendations for the sporting community.

The Rollercoaster: Chapter 3: Better

Let me briefly take you back to the February 2021, to find out what it was like for Austin to train without any chance of dry running his skills in competition, and without any firm confirmation of Tokyo 2021 being a go. And how did Olympic Canada support athletes through all the uncertainty? I asked that exact question in April of 2021 to Chef de Mission and Olympian Marnie McBean.