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I started to surf. And upon entering this world of adult beginner surfing, I quickly realized that the community was SMALL.

I found that the prevalent issue within professional surfing lies in the lack of diversity of an athlete’s story, where success is predominantly associated with those who started their surfing journey at a young age and dedicated their upbringing solely to the pursuit of excellence in this sport.

So, embarking on this journey, I didn’t know how to train or even where to start this journey…the roadmap simply did not exist. So, I decided to forge my own.

Returning home to Canada was a pivotal moment for me. I knew that I wanted to keep pursuing my Olympic dream, but I had to embrace my own pace and accept where I was in that moment. Home was the place where I had once built myself into a great athlete, and I knew I could do it again.

With the support of therapy, new coaching, and physical rehab, I began to dismantle the pressures of where I “should be.” I focused on healing and improving myself one day at a time.

Today, I am proud to call myself an Olympian, the 2024 national champion, and #3 all-time 100m hurdler in Canadian history. My journey has taught me the power of resilience and the importance of believing in myself, no matter the obstacles.

I found that the prevalent issue within professional surfing lies in the lack of diversity of an athlete’s story, where success is predominantly associated with those who started their surfing journey at a young age and dedicated their upbringing solely to the pursuit of excellence in this sport.

So, embarking on this journey, I didn’t know how to train or even where to start this journey…the roadmap simply did not exist. So, I decided to forge my own.

Caught between two identities… who I used to be and who I am supposed to be. The fear of losing something that was so comfortable to me and not pushing myself to embrace who I really am. I decided to embrace my true pace. I’m here, and I’m present.

I embrace my pace by taking every day as an opportunity for growth. It is so easy to compare where you’re at to where others are, I’ve learned the true way to embrace my pace is to acknowledge that everyone has their own journey, everyone has their own path and everything will happen in the right timing.

In the meantime l chose to give myself grace throughout the growing pains and to embrace the new lessons I learn about myself on a daily basis.