Anyone who has ever had a runny nose and aching cough can’t help but feel inspired by Leanne Gartner, an 18-year-old cross-country skier from Canmore.
Ten months ago, Gartner could barely climb up the stairs, and now she’s made Team Canada.
Most of us would have stayed in bed.
Her troubles started after she contracted COVID-19 last year.
The illness kept her on the sidelines for most of last season.
It forced her to miss the Canada Winter Games, the highest national competition level for Canadian athletes.
“I had no energy…I was just completely decimated and could barely walk up the stairs without just getting winded. It was terrible,” commented Gartner.
Road to Recovery
Unable to compete, Gartner was sidelined.
Now, if you’re an athlete, not being active is like being a musician without an instrument.
But it would take more than a case of COVID-19 to stop the young athlete.
Gartner focused her energy on recovering and returned to the sport at the Alberta Cup at the Canmore Nordic Centre in December.
For Gartner, the stakes had never been higher.
Performances at the Alberta Cup were used as the National Youth Olympic Games Selection trials.
These trials are used by Nordic Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee to select athletes to represent Canada at the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea.
The Youth Olympic Games is the largest multi-sport event for high-performance athletes between 15 and 18.
Gartner wanted to be part of that action!
Strapping on the Skies
No matter how you feel, at some point, you need to just try.
And Gartner didn’t waste the opportunity.
In the Distance Mass Start Classic U18 Girls event, Gartner placed third behind Aramintha Bradford and Anika Wallin.
Gartner also competed in the Sprint Qualifier Free, where she placed fourth. Her outstanding performance earned her one of four spots on Team Canada.
What a comeback from barely having the energy to walk!
Olympic Bound
She is now on track to compete at Gangwon 2024, which will be held from January 19 to February 1. Gartner’s race days are between January 29 and February 1.
Gartner will race at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre, the same venue used in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.
Competing internationally was never on Gartner’s radar until she was named a Team Canada athlete following her performance at the Alberta Cup.
“Qualifying for Korea was always like a big overarching goal for me, but I kept it under wraps…this is what I wanted, but I kept it realistic, like, I can’t put all of my eggs in the same basket,” explained Gartner.
COVID-19 dealt Gartner a serious blow and caused the talented athlete to lower her expectations.
But that didn’t stop her from working to perform her best.
And sometimes that is all you can do, your best.
Alberta Willpower
“She has a very strong mindset and is able to work through things and see the bigger picture,” said Matt DeCarufel, program director of the Canmore Nordic Ski Club.
Gartner’s appearance at Gangwon 2024 will mark her first race overseas. She’s hoping to showcase her talents in the short sprint races.
Sprint racing is Gartner’s top discipline, so the odds are in her favour.
But the speedster’s primary goal is to enjoy the experience of her first international competition.
Gartner is one of many Canmore athletes who have gone on to perform at the Olympic Winter Games.
These athletes all have one thing in common: the willpower to never settle for anything less than their best.
Gartner surprised us with her performance at the Alberta Cup.
We wouldn’t be surprised if she did it again at Gangwon 2024!
