NOVA SCOTIA — A Cape Breton teen is one of 100 Canadian athletes chosen to compete at the RBC Training Ground, a program meant to identify and support future Olympians.
The program is described as “the RBC Training Ground is an innovative, nationwide program that identifies and tests young Canadian amateur athletes through high-performance combines. Those identified as having high potential receive funding and other forms of support they need to one day reach an Olympic podium.”
The program is open to youth in Canada that are 14 to 25 years old as this age range helps participating National Sports Organizations (NSOs) identify athletes who can develop into Olympic hopefuls based on long-term athlete development and the Canadian Sport for Life program.
The indigenous athlete chosen for the program is Dante Isadore, a track and field athlete from Wagmatcook First Nation, N.S., who competes in long jump and triple jump.
With a population base of close to seven hundred people living in the small village of Wagmatcook First Nation, the community straddles the Bras D’or Lakes and is one of five (5) Mi’kmaw First Nation communities of Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island, N.S.).
Isadore was first introduced to track and field by his physical education teacher at Wagmatcookewey School. Five years ago, he travelled to Saskatchewan to compete in track and field and since he has competed in track events across Canada.
One of his larger accomplishments to date was competing at the 2018 Legion National track and field championships in Brandon. He competed against athletes from across Canada and placed ninth overall in the men’s under-18 triple jump.
In May, Isadore broke two regional records at the Highland regional track meet at Cape Breton University. His triple jump broke a record set in 1989, and his long jump broke a record set in 1986.
It was through the data collected during those games that Isadore was identified as a good candidate and will continue onto the RBC Training Ground in Calgary on Sept. 14-15.
