Three Gatineau teens advance in national Olympic talent search

Tashi Farmilo

Three young athletes from Gatineau have been selected as national finalists in RBC Training Ground, Canada’s Olympic talent identification program.

Julianne Paré, 19, Pradjie Sarah Baptiste, 15, and Lea De Broeck, 16, were chosen from among more than 2,500 participants who underwent physical testing at free qualifying events across the country this year. Designed to uncover athletes with raw potential, the program evaluates speed, strength, power and endurance, regardless of prior experience in Olympic sports.

All three will compete at the national final on November 1 in Vancouver, where 100 finalists will vie for 35 funded spots in the development systems of one of Canada’s 15 national sport federations.

De Broeck, already an accomplished cross-country skier and cyclist, was scouted by Biathlon Canada. She trains with a club in Chelsea and has a brother in the national development team.

“Lea has shown promising talent in cross-country and cycling and is now transitioning into biathlon,” said Clayton Whitman, director of performance pathways at Biathlon Canada.

Julianne Paré was attending Cégep de l’Outaouais and playing flag football when she caught the attention of skeleton recruiters at a Montreal event.

“Julianne stood out at our Eastern camp,” said Joe Cecchini, head coach and technical lead at Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada. “She’s already within 0.15 seconds of our national team benchmark. With her mindset and athleticism, she’s on track to meet the standard soon and become a valuable asset.”

Baptiste, a basketball player at Polyvalente Le Carrefour, impressed recruiters with her physical testing results, particularly in speed and endurance. Her profile drew interest from multiple sports.

“Pradjie’s results reflect a very balanced and exceptional athletic capacity,” said Evan MacInnis, technical director of RBC Training Ground.

At the final in Vancouver, athletes will be evaluated again through sport-specific testing, anthropometric measurements and competitive background reviews. Those selected for funding will be integrated into their respective sport’s national development pathway. RBC covers all travel and accommodation costs for the finalists.

Now in its tenth year, the RBC Training Ground program has tested more than 18,500 athletes since its launch in 2016. It has produced 21 Olympians and 14 Olympic medals, including seven at the Paris 2024 Games. Notably, several medallists, such as cyclist Kelsey Mitchell and freestyle skier Marion Thénault, had never tried their eventual Olympic sport before entering the program.

The 35 funded athletes will be announced weeks after the final. Support is administered by the relevant sport organisation and can include costs for training, equipment, travel and nutrition.

The program’s goal remains the same: to uncover Canadian talent where it hasn’t traditionally been scouted.

“Pradjie performed exceptionally well,” MacInnis said. “She’s exactly the kind of athlete this program was made for.”