After months of testing Canadian athletes from coast-to-coast-to-coast, the sixth year of RBC Training Ground, a nationwide Olympic talent identification and athlete-funding program, concludes with the RBC TRAINING GROUND NATIONAL FINAL unveiling 30 Olympic hopefuls. The NATIONAL FINAL special is a continuation of the partnership between RBC, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Bell Media, dedicated to finding and supporting Canada’s Future Olympians. The special premieres Friday, Jan. 7 at 10 p.m. ET exclusively on TSN.
The special broadcast of the RBC TRAINING GROUND NATIONAL FINAL, co-hosted by Olympic champion and RBC Training Ground graduate Avalon Wasteneys (Rowing) and TSN’s Kayla Grey, follows the incredible journeys of the athletes on their quest to become RBC Future Olympians.
It features exclusive footage from the RBC Training Ground National Final competition and profiles select athletes chosen as Future Olympians in sports such as freestyle skiing, speed skating, track cycling, and rugby.
The 30 athletes unveiled in the special were identified by National Sport Organizations and are set to receive funding for training and earn a potential spot on their respective sport’s National Team.
“RBC Training Ground started with a powerful idea to find the next generation of Olympic athletes in Canada, and the incredible talent seen in this year’s 30 Future Olympians is a testament that the program is working.” said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, RBC. “This impact would not be possible without the support from our partners at the Canadian Olympic Committee and Bell Media, and we look forward to sharing with Canadians, the inspiring stories behind the Olympic dreams of our Future Olympians during the RBC TRAINING GROUND NATIONAL FINAL Special.”
“It is just amazing how two of Team Canada’s Premier National Partners, Bell and RBC, have come together to provide such an incredible platform for our country’s next generation of Olympians,” said Jacquie Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee. “RBC Training Ground graduates who competed at Tokyo 2020 inspired all of us this summer when we needed it most and reminded us that glory can truly come from anywhere.”
“We are thrilled to shine a spotlight on these emerging Canadian athletes and play a small role in their years-long journey to becoming Olympians representing our country at the highest level of sport,” said Nathalie Cook, Vice-President, TSN and RDS. “Through our partnership with RBC and the Canadian Olympic Committee, the RBC Training Ground program has reached more athletes than ever before, allowing more potential Olympians the chance to achieve their dream.”
Developed in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Olympic Foundation, and with support from the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, the program has enabled National Sport Organization partners to test the speed, power, strength, and endurance of more than 10,000 athletes since its inception in 2016.
Several athletes who were discovered at RBC Training Ground events and supported as RBC Future Olympians emerged as medallists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, including Avalon Wasteneys, Rowing (Gold); Kelsey Mitchell, Track Cycling (Gold); Lauriane Genest, Track Cycling (Bronze); and Jerome Blake, Athletics (Bronze).
Year seven of RBC Training Ground launches in January 2022, with additional details to be announced at RBCTrainingGround.ca.
