By Bytown Storm Triathlon Club
NAME: Patrick Smith
AGE: 22
SCHOOL: 4th-year University of Ottawa human kinetics student
START IN TRIATHLON: “I started as a competitive swimmer. I did cross-country and track in high school at SRB. Each of my coaches knew I did both, so they said, ‘Bike is easy enough to pick up, so hey, go try one, have fun, and see how you like it.’ I did one race in Dunrobin, then I signed up for a season and just never looked back.”
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT TRIATHLON: “I played soccer, basketball, ultimate Frisbee, some other sports recreationally, and then swimming and running. I’ve always been an individual sport guy where it’s about what you are doing. I like the different disciplines. It’s not just swimming or just running. It keeps it interesting.”
RACE RESULT I’M PROUD OF: Top-10 men’s under-23 at the 2014 Canadian Championships
FAVOURITE MEMORIES: “I love the travel that comes with it. We’ve gone to some really cool places. We were in Spain last summer, and the Netherlands. Meeting people over there who live the sport was a big eyeopener. But I could see myself doing this for a long time. I raced in Mexico, Florida in the States and Virginia, Barbados, and a bunch all over Canada too.”
Athlete I look up to: Simon Whitfield.
WHAT I ENJOY ABOUT BYTOWN STORM: “Greg (Kealey) is trying to be the most elite coach he can be, so I feel like I have an obligation to be the most elite athlete I can be. It is a nice small team, so you get that coaching attention. We’re all tight. It’s a really good community.”
NAME: Rachel Cameron
AGE: 16
SCHOOL: (headed into) Grade 11 at Bell High School
START IN TRIATHLON: “Basically my whole life I’ve enjoyed running at my school with cross-country, and mountain biking as a family sport, and then swim, I’d done lessons for a long time. I really enjoy combining all those sports – all three of them are my favourite to do – and doing them at the same time.”
RACE RESULT I’M PROUD OF: Qualifying for Ontario Summer Games last season.
WHAT I ENJOY ABOUT BYTOWN STORM: “Besides the training part, I really like how all of us get along with each other. Not just while we’re training, but outside of training.”