🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 35 (from laksa096)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa035.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://olympic.ca/2025/09/11/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://olympic.ca/2025/09/11/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/09\/11\/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium\/","crawl_time":1775031827,"first_indexed_time":1757598149,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"ca,olympic!\/2025\/09\/11\/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium\/ s443","src_root_hash":"591123479830988235","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Defining success: Team Canada athletes think beyond the podium - Team Canada","meta_descriptions":["How do you define success? This is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"September 11, 2025\nHow do you define success?\nThis is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.\nIn sport, too often success can be seen as narrowly defined by podiums, medals, trophies, or wins. But such a limited idea of success can leech the joy from sport and negate the pride that one should feel from working each day towards a big goal. \nHere are some tidbits of wisdom from Team Canada athletes:\nJocelyn Peterman\nand\nBrett Gallant\n(Curling)\nJP: We’ve been talking a lot about success as fully buying into our processes and the work that we’re putting in. Success isn’t necessarily the medals or how you finish. It’s more, if you’re the teammate you want to be on the ice, if we’re preparing the way we want to prepare, then that’s success for me.\nREAD:\nCurlers Peterman & Gallant are first athletes nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026\nBG: We know what effort we put in behind the scenes and what we’re doing day-to-day to try to be at our best. At the end of the day, when you’ve gone through that process and you’ve done to the best of your abilities, that’s success. Sometimes getting through that grind of a training or, just the preparation, the lead up [to a competition], getting through all that, is a big success in itself.\nJocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant compete at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Anastasia Karekla\/World Curling)\nCynthia Appiah\n(Bobsleigh)\nThat’s an interesting question because I’ve really been trying to work on not tying success to a result. And that’s easier said than done. \nI had the the opportunity to watch sport and be inspired by the bobsledders of yesteryear, and I’m hoping that’s my legacy—that I inspire the next generation of bobsledders and that when they join the team, it’s a completely different sport than what I got into and I can leave the sport better than when I first got into it.\nTeam Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC\nIndia Sherret\n(Ski Cross)\nThat’s one that I feel like I’ve been redefining it a little bit for myself over this last year or so. I used to kind of think that success was, you know, a particular result or a level of performance consistently.\nLately I feel a lot more that it’s: am I putting my whole self into this? Am I enjoying the process? Am I still having fun? \nObviously I want to win. I’m an athlete, that’s always going to be the goal. But for me to be successful in that goal, I think if I am enjoying what I’m doing and I know that I’m able to put my whole self into it and really dedicate myself to the whole process, that’s what success looks like for me.\nREITERALM, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 17: India Sherret of Team Canada takes 1st place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on January 17, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. (Photo by Grega Valancic\/VOIGT\/Agence Zoom)\nBrodie Seger\n(Alpine Skiing)\nThat’s one  I’ve been asking myself lately, actually. \nI think [success comes from] those bravery moments. It’s so much more deeply satisfying, whether you were first or 10th or 30th, when you know you lay down a run where you left everything on the mountain. You gave yourself a chance, you put yourself in a position to succeed. \nMistakes happen when you’re in that zone. If you’re just chasing the perfect run and you’re always trying to be on the perfect line and execute everything perfectly—that doesn’t exist, and it’s probably going to be slow. A deeper success comes when you leave it all out there and you know you gave yourself a chance. Whether it was your day or not, that’s not up to you, that’s out of your control.\nREAD:\nBrodie Seger rises to meet challenges on the slopes and in ALS advocacy\nTeam Canada alpine skier Brodie Seger competes in the downhill portion of the men’s combined event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Photo by Darren Calabrese\/COC\nLewis Irving\n(Freestyle Skiing – Aerials)\nI think my definition of success has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, success was solely focused on results, winning, being the best. Getting a little older and having done a little more, now, to me, success is: can I look back at my day and be proud of what I did? Can I look back at my day and not have any regrets and not want to change anything? If I can check those boxes, then it was a successful day. \nFor example, at worlds I finished 10th. I messed up my qualifying jump. But we still pushed the envelope. We did the plan we were planning on doing. We didn’t take a step back when weather or conditions changed, we still went at it fully. So for me, it was easier to stomach the loss on a day where I did that. Had I gone the other way [and dialled it back], I don’t think I would have lived with it as easily. So yeah, just being being proud of my day is a successful day.\nLewis Irving, of Lac Beauport, Que., celebrates a second place finish on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the FIS freestyle world cup aerials in Lac-Beauport, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Jacques Boissinot\nElliot Vaillancourt (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls)\nSuccess is a feeling. \nIf you get success without all the effort, it doesn’t feel balanced. I feel like many athletes would agree, that feeling is the reward within yourself—that “I’ve worked my a** off to get here and holy sh*t, we made it!” accomplishment. \nTeam Canada’s Elliot Vaillancourt celebrates post-competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sean Kilpatrick\nTrinity Ellis\n(Luge)\nI think success to me is finishing a result and feeling personally satisfied. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a numerical result, but knowing that I really did the best that I possibly could, I feel like I’m always happy with the outcome of that.\nTrinity Ellis, of Canada, slides during the luge women’s singles run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)\nKevin Drury\n(Ski Cross)\n[My definition of success has] changed over the years. I think now I’m at the point where as long as I know that I performed to the best of my abilities, I’m really happy. \nIn our sport, there’s so many variables that can happen—whether it’s someone hits you and you’re out of the race or you just crashed out—there’s so many things that can go wrong that you have no control over. And so I’m less results driven now and just like, how do I feel I did?\nReece Howden of Team Canada takes 1st place, Kevin Drury of Team Canada takes 3rd place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on March 14, 2024 in Craigleith, Canada. (Photo by Eric Bolte\/Agence Zoom)\nBrendan MacKay\n(Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe)\nI think leading into Beijing 2022, I really wanted a medal insanely badly, which ended up being pretty disappointing for me. Not performing in Beijing was challenging to reflect on.\nSo I think at least for these Olympics, I’m trying to be very open minded about any result. I think as long as I go out there and I give it my all and I commit to my plan, then I hope I’m very proud of whatever comes out of it.\nBrendan Mackay, of Canada, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, USA (AP Photo\/Hugh Carey)\nHannah Schmidt\n(Ski Cross)\nPersonally, when I think of success, I think of resiliency. By no means did I have anything easy.\nAnd I think every athlete has their own story of struggles. But I think just being able to live with type one diabetes, deal with all the injuries, the doubts from some certain people, and just being able to push through and be resilient towards sport, that’s success.\nCanada’s Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women’s final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Jeff McIntosh\nAlexandria Loutitt\n(Ski Jumping)\nI think that [success is] not just about standing at the top of the podium. It’s kind of like how you executed what you were trying to do. \nSometimes you can execute everything perfectly and still not win. But at the end of the day, that’s still a win, still a success.\nTeam Canada ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt competes in the mixed team event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 07, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC\nCameron Spalding (Snowboard – Slopestyle\/Big Air)\nObviously I want to be the best, I want to win everything, really. But at the same time, I just want to have as much fun as possible on my snowboard because that’s why I started. There’s really nothing else that compares in my mind to snowboarding. So as long as I’m having fun and the love for it is still there, then that’s success in my books.\nCameron Spalding stands on top of the podium in Laax. Photo credit: Snowboard Canada\nDawn Richardson Wilson\n(Bobsleigh)\nSuccess is a word that I don’t think one person can justify for everyone. I think your version of success might be different from my version of success.\nLet’s say on a day-to-day basis, I could view success as, “I woke up and I ate breakfast today.” That could be success. And other people would be like, I managed to do this, do this, do this, do this and this, and that’s a successful day.\nSo I think for me, success is knowing that you put everything into whatever you wanted to do for that day, that goal, or whatever the case may be, and not feeling any what ifs at the end of it, because you know that you put in everything. And maybe on a given day your everything is only 90% of your full capacity, but that was still everything on that day.\nSo I think that’s just how I view success. It’s not so much winning gold or winning medals. Yes, that’s also success. But I would say it’s also the journey of how we get to those moments that makes up the success story.\nTeam Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson compete in the 2-woman bobsleigh event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, February 18, 2022. Photo by Leah Hennel\/COC\nEmbyr Lee Susko (Luge)\nI think success, a lot of the time, is really defined by having that gold medal. But I’ve really tried to change my perspective on success and finding it within, and asking: what’s really important to [me] about that sport?\nLast season I really felt a lot of growth in that area. My success was not medaling at worlds. My success was not winning nationals. My success was finding so much joy in that season. I’m really appreciative that I’ve moved more into that headspace.\nCanada’s Embyr-Lee Susko, of Whistler, B.C., carries her sled off the track after racing to a ninth place finish during a women’s luge World Cup event in Whistler, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Darryl Dyck\nFlorence Brunelle\n(Short Track Speed Skating)\nI think success became something [to me] in the last two years that it wasn’t before. For me, success is being able to value myself, based on what I do every single day. It’s all about the process. We hear “process, process, process.” For me, success is how disciplined I am in my journey.\nTeam Canada short track speed skater Florence Brunelle competes in the women’s 3000m relay event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, February 09, 2022. Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj\/COC","attrs_markdown":"[FR](https:\/\/olympique.ca\/?p=263105)\n\n[![Olympic.ca Logo](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/canadianolympiccommittee\/assets\/img\/team-canada.svg)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/)\n\n- [Stories](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/stories\/)\n- [Athletes](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/athletes\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/)\n- [Games](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/games)\n- [Donate Now](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/foundation\/support-team-canada\/?utm_source=digital&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=moremenu)\n- [Team Canada App](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada-olympic-app\/)\n- [Podcast](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/momentum-a-team-canada-podcast\/)\n- [Olympic Club](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/olympic-club\/)\n- [Partners](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/partners\/)\n- [Press](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/press\/)\n- [Stats & Facts](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada-olympic-stats-historical-facts\/)\n- [Foundation](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/foundation\/)\n- [Education](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/education\/)\n- [Team Canada 2035](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/team-canada-2035\/)\n- [Employment](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/employment\/)\n- [About Us](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/)\n  - [Overview](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/)\n  - [Governance](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/)\n  - [Policies](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/policies\/)\n  - [Safeguarding Competition](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/safeguarding-competitions-from-manipulation-and-protecting-the-integrity-of-sport\/)\n  - [Board of Directors](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/board-of-directors\/)\n  - [Leadership Team](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/senior-leadership-team\/)\n  - [Athletes Commission](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/athletes-commission\/)\n  - [Session](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/session\/)\n  - [Annual Reports](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/annual-reports\/)\n  - [Bidding & Hosting](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/bidding-hosting\/)\n- [Safe Sport](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/canadian-olympic-committee\/governance\/safe-sport\/)\n- [Brand Use](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/brand-use\/)\n- [Subscribe](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/subscribe-to-sports-updates\/)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/contact-us\/)\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Feature-images-5-1.jpg?quality=100&w=1080)\n\n# Defining success: Team Canada athletes think beyond the podium\nSeptember 11, 2025\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-10-17-131039.png?w=96)\n\nBy [Caela Fenton](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/author\/caela-fenton\/)\n\n### Share this:\n- [Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/09\/11\/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium\/?share=facebook)\n- [Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/09\/11\/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium\/?share=x)\n\n![Checkmark icon](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/canadianolympiccommittee\/img\/team-canada-icons\/team-canada-navigation-checkmark-red.svg)\n\n![Sharing icon](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/canadianolympiccommittee\/img\/team-canada-icons\/team-canada-profile-share-red.svg)\n\nHow do you define success?\n\nThis is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.\n\nIn sport, too often success can be seen as narrowly defined by podiums, medals, trophies, or wins. But such a limited idea of success can leech the joy from sport and negate the pride that one should feel from working each day towards a big goal.\n\nHere are some tidbits of wisdom from Team Canada athletes:\n\n#### **[Jocelyn Peterman](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/jocelyn-peterman\/) and [Brett Gallant](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brett-gallant\/) (Curling)**\nJP: We’ve been talking a lot about success as fully buying into our processes and the work that we’re putting in. Success isn’t necessarily the medals or how you finish. It’s more, if you’re the teammate you want to be on the ice, if we’re preparing the way we want to prepare, then that’s success for me.\n\n**READ: [Curlers Peterman & Gallant are first athletes nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/05\/05\/curlers-peterman-gallant-are-first-athletes-nominated-to-team-canada-for-milano-cortina-2026\/)**\n\nBG: We know what effort we put in behind the scenes and what we’re doing day-to-day to try to be at our best. At the end of the day, when you’ve gone through that process and you’ve done to the best of your abilities, that’s success. Sometimes getting through that grind of a training or, just the preparation, the lead up \\[to a competition\\], getting through all that, is a big success in itself.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SIA28903-097-e1746106601450.jpg?quality=100&w=1200)\n\nJocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant compete at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Anastasia Karekla\/World Curling)\n#### **[Cynthia Appiah](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/cynthia-appiah\/) (Bobsleigh)**\nThat’s an interesting question because I’ve really been trying to work on not tying success to a result. And that’s easier said than done.\n\nI had the the opportunity to watch sport and be inspired by the bobsledders of yesteryear, and I’m hoping that’s my legacy—that I inspire the next generation of bobsledders and that when they join the team, it’s a completely different sport than what I got into and I can leave the sport better than when I first got into it.\n\n![Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/MDB_20220214_61962.jpg?quality=100&w=1131)\n\nTeam Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC\n#### **[India Sherret](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/india-sherret\/) (Ski Cross)**\nThat’s one that I feel like I’ve been redefining it a little bit for myself over this last year or so. I used to kind of think that success was, you know, a particular result or a level of performance consistently.\n\nLately I feel a lot more that it’s: am I putting my whole self into this? Am I enjoying the process? Am I still having fun?\n\nObviously I want to win. I’m an athlete, that’s always going to be the goal. But for me to be successful in that goal, I think if I am enjoying what I’m doing and I know that I’m able to put my whole self into it and really dedicate myself to the whole process, that’s what success looks like for me.\n\n![India Sherret holds he ski poles up over her head in celebration](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/india-sherett-e1737127308268.jpg?quality=100&w=1340)\n\nREITERALM, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 17: India Sherret of Team Canada takes 1st place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on January 17, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. (Photo by Grega Valancic\/VOIGT\/Agence Zoom)\n#### **[Brodie Seger](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brodie-seger\/) (Alpine Skiing)**\nThat’s one I’ve been asking myself lately, actually.\n\nI think \\[success comes from\\] those bravery moments. It’s so much more deeply satisfying, whether you were first or 10th or 30th, when you know you lay down a run where you left everything on the mountain. You gave yourself a chance, you put yourself in a position to succeed.\n\nMistakes happen when you’re in that zone. If you’re just chasing the perfect run and you’re always trying to be on the perfect line and execute everything perfectly—that doesn’t exist, and it’s probably going to be slow. A deeper success comes when you leave it all out there and you know you gave yourself a chance. Whether it was your day or not, that’s not up to you, that’s out of your control.\n\n**READ: [Brodie Seger rises to meet challenges on the slopes and in ALS advocacy](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/06\/17\/brodie-seger-rises-to-meet-challenges-on-the-slopes-and-in-als-advocacy\/)**\n\n![Brodie Seger goes over a jump during an alpine ski race](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Brodie-Seger-e1649187006709.jpg?quality=100&w=1337)\n\nTeam Canada alpine skier Brodie Seger competes in the downhill portion of the men’s combined event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Photo by Darren Calabrese\/COC\n#### **[Lewis Irving](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/lewis-irving\/) (Freestyle Skiing – Aerials)**\nI think my definition of success has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, success was solely focused on results, winning, being the best. Getting a little older and having done a little more, now, to me, success is: can I look back at my day and be proud of what I did? Can I look back at my day and not have any regrets and not want to change anything? If I can check those boxes, then it was a successful day.\n\nFor example, at worlds I finished 10th. I messed up my qualifying jump. But we still pushed the envelope. We did the plan we were planning on doing. We didn’t take a step back when weather or conditions changed, we still went at it fully. So for me, it was easier to stomach the loss on a day where I did that. Had I gone the other way \\[and dialled it back\\], I don’t think I would have lived with it as easily. So yeah, just being being proud of my day is a successful day.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/CP173914857-e1737838889550.jpg?quality=100&w=1330)\n\nLewis Irving, of Lac Beauport, Que., celebrates a second place finish on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the FIS freestyle world cup aerials in Lac-Beauport, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Jacques Boissinot\n#### **Elliot Vaillancourt (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls)**\nSuccess is a feeling.\n\nIf you get success without all the effort, it doesn’t feel balanced. I feel like many athletes would agree, that feeling is the reward within yourself—that “I’ve worked my a\\*\\* off to get here and holy sh\\*t, we made it!” accomplishment.\n\n![Team Canada's Elliot Vaillancourt](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Elliot-Vaillancourt-.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nTeam Canada’s Elliot Vaillancourt celebrates post-competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sean Kilpatrick\n#### **[Trinity Ellis](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/trinity-ellis\/) (Luge)**\nI think success to me is finishing a result and feeling personally satisfied. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a numerical result, but knowing that I really did the best that I possibly could, I feel like I’m always happy with the outcome of that.\n\n![Trinity Ellis slides past Olympic rings on luge track](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Trinity-Ellis-e1650487562449.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nTrinity Ellis, of Canada, slides during the luge women’s singles run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)\n#### **[Kevin Drury](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/kevin-drury\/) (Ski Cross)**\n\\[My definition of success has\\] changed over the years. I think now I’m at the point where as long as I know that I performed to the best of my abilities, I’m really happy.\n\nIn our sport, there’s so many variables that can happen—whether it’s someone hits you and you’re out of the race or you just crashed out—there’s so many things that can go wrong that you have no control over. And so I’m less results driven now and just like, how do I feel I did?\n\n![Reece Howden and Kevin Drury hold a Canadian flag between them on the podium](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/f25-crsx1-eb-00-0294-e1741982900432.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nReece Howden of Team Canada takes 1st place, Kevin Drury of Team Canada takes 3rd place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on March 14, 2024 in Craigleith, Canada. (Photo by Eric Bolte\/Agence Zoom)\n#### **[Brendan MacKay](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brendan-mackay\/) (Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe)**\nI think leading into Beijing 2022, I really wanted a medal insanely badly, which ended up being pretty disappointing for me. Not performing in Beijing was challenging to reflect on.\n\nSo I think at least for these Olympics, I’m trying to be very open minded about any result. I think as long as I go out there and I give it my all and I commit to my plan, then I hope I’m very proud of whatever comes out of it.\n\n![A male halfpipe skier does a trick while competing for Team Canada](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Brendan-Mackay.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nBrendan Mackay, of Canada, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, USA (AP Photo\/Hugh Carey)\n#### **[Hannah Schmidt](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/hannah-schmidt\/) (Ski Cross)**\nPersonally, when I think of success, I think of resiliency. By no means did I have anything easy.\n\nAnd I think every athlete has their own story of struggles. But I think just being able to live with type one diabetes, deal with all the injuries, the doubts from some certain people, and just being able to push through and be resilient towards sport, that’s success.\n\n![Canada's Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women's final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/CP169904962-e1737039741895.jpg?quality=100&w=1338)\n\nCanada’s Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women’s final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Jeff McIntosh\n#### **[Alexandria Loutitt](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/alexandria-loutitt\/) (Ski Jumping)**\nI think that \\[success is\\] not just about standing at the top of the podium. It’s kind of like how you executed what you were trying to do.\n\nSometimes you can execute everything perfectly and still not win. But at the end of the day, that’s still a win, still a success.\n\n![Ski jumper looks down on the stadium from the air with skis extended](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/MDB_20220207_15068-e1733252671672.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nTeam Canada ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt competes in the mixed team event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 07, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC\n#### **Cameron Spalding (Snowboard – Slopestyle\/Big Air)**\nObviously I want to be the best, I want to win everything, really. But at the same time, I just want to have as much fun as possible on my snowboard because that’s why I started. There’s really nothing else that compares in my mind to snowboarding. So as long as I’m having fun and the love for it is still there, then that’s success in my books.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/LAAXOPEN_25_GERARD_SPALDING_VICKTOR_by_Stadler_05718-XL.jpg?quality=100&w=1024)\n\nCameron Spalding stands on top of the podium in Laax. Photo credit: Snowboard Canada\n#### **[Dawn Richardson Wilson](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/dawn-richardson-wilson\/) (Bobsleigh)**\nSuccess is a word that I don’t think one person can justify for everyone. I think your version of success might be different from my version of success.\n\nLet’s say on a day-to-day basis, I could view success as, “I woke up and I ate breakfast today.” That could be success. And other people would be like, I managed to do this, do this, do this, do this and this, and that’s a successful day.\n\nSo I think for me, success is knowing that you put everything into whatever you wanted to do for that day, that goal, or whatever the case may be, and not feeling any what ifs at the end of it, because you know that you put in everything. And maybe on a given day your everything is only 90% of your full capacity, but that was still everything on that day.\n\nSo I think that’s just how I view success. It’s not so much winning gold or winning medals. Yes, that’s also success. But I would say it’s also the journey of how we get to those moments that makes up the success story.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/LH_20220218_86391-2.jpg?quality=100&w=1131)\n\nTeam Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson compete in the 2-woman bobsleigh event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, February 18, 2022. Photo by Leah Hennel\/COC\n#### **Embyr Lee Susko (Luge)**\nI think success, a lot of the time, is really defined by having that gold medal. But I’ve really tried to change my perspective on success and finding it within, and asking: what’s really important to \\[me\\] about that sport?\n\nLast season I really felt a lot of growth in that area. My success was not medaling at worlds. My success was not winning nationals. My success was finding so much joy in that season. I’m really appreciative that I’ve moved more into that headspace.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/embyrlee.jpg?quality=100&w=1084)\n\nCanada’s Embyr-Lee Susko, of Whistler, B.C., carries her sled off the track after racing to a ninth place finish during a women’s luge World Cup event in Whistler, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Darryl Dyck\n#### **[Florence Brunelle](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/florence-brunelle\/) (Short Track Speed Skating)**\nI think success became something \\[to me\\] in the last two years that it wasn’t before. For me, success is being able to value myself, based on what I do every single day. It’s all about the process. We hear “process, process, process.” For me, success is how disciplined I am in my journey.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ALL_20220209_28607.jpg?quality=100&w=1131)\n\nTeam Canada short track speed skater Florence Brunelle competes in the women’s 3000m relay event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, February 09, 2022. Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj\/COC\n\n***\n## Related Stories\n[![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Feature-images-17.jpg?quality=100&w=333) Weekend Roundup: Team Canada wraps up winter with World Championship, World Cup podiums Paula Nichols March 30, 2026](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2026\/03\/30\/weekend-roundup-team-canada-wraps-up-winter-with-world-championship-world-cup-podiums\/)\n\n[![A member of Team Canada celebrates with his hands in the air after completing a World Cup run](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Reece-Howden.jpg?quality=100&w=342) Howden closes ski cross season with back-to-back podiums and Crystal Globe Hayley McGoldrick March 29, 2026](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2026\/03\/29\/howden-wins-silver-in-ski-cross-at-gallivare\/)\n\n[![Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier from Canada wave before the medal ceremony.](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CP176058246.jpg?quality=100&w=342) Gilles & Poirier win ice dance silver at figure skating world championships Chloe Morrison March 28, 2026](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2026\/03\/28\/gilles-poirier-win-ice-dance-silver-at-figure-skating-world-championships\/)\n\n[View all stories](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/stories)\n\n***\n## Related Athletes\n[![Jocelyn Peterman](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/JOCELYN_PETERMAN-e1638283726808.jpg?quality=100&w=350)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/jocelyn-peterman\/)\n\n#### [Jocelyn Peterman](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/jocelyn-peterman\/)\n[Curling](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sport\/curling\/)\n\nAdd this Sport to your favourites\n\nJocelyn Peterman made her Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 in the women’s curling event. Women’s Curling Career Peterman fulfilled a...\n\n[![Brett Gallant](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/BRETT_GALLANT-e1638283867795.jpg?quality=100&w=350)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brett-gallant\/)\n\n#### [Brett Gallant](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brett-gallant\/)\n[Curling](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sport\/curling\/)\n\nAdd this Sport to your favourites\n\nBrett Gallant made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 where he won a bronze medal. He has also won four…\n\n[![Geoff Walker](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GEOFF_WALKER-e1638283811441.jpg?quality=100&w=350)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/geoff-walker\/)\n\n#### [Geoff Walker](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/geoff-walker\/)\n[Curling](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sport\/curling\/)\n\nAdd this Sport to your favourites\n\nGeoff Walker made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 where he won a bronze medal. He has also won four…\n\n[View all athletes](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/athletes)\n\n***\n## Related Sports\n[![Sport Logo](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/curling-canada.png?w=198)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/curling\/)\n\n#### [Curling](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/curling\/)\n[Winter](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/season\/winter\/)\n\nAdd this Sport to your favourites\n\n![trending](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/themes\/canadianolympiccommittee\/img\/team-canada-icons\/team-canada-profile-trending-red.svg)\n\nCurling is one of the most strategic sports at the Olympic Winter Games. Playing on a rectanglular sheet of ice,…\n\n[![Sport Logo](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/boxing-canada.png?w=198)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/boxing\/)\n\n#### [Boxing](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/boxing\/)\n[Summer](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/season\/summer\/)\n\nAdd this Sport to your favourites\n\nAt its core, boxing is a contest in which two combatants engage hand-to-hand for sport.\n\n[![Sport Logo](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/bobsleigh-canada.png?w=198)](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/skeleton\/)\n\n#### [Skeleton](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports\/skeleton\/)\n[Winter](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/season\/winter\/)\n\nAdd this Sport to your favourites\n\nSkeleton is contested on an ice track. The athletes typically sprint alongside their sled for the first few seconds of…\n\n[View all sports](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sports)\n\n## Subscribe to Sports Updates\nSign up for emails about Team Canada athletes, sports results, and inspiring athlete stories delivered every Monday.\n\nYou are now signed up for the newsletter.\n\n© 2026 Canadian Olympic Committee. All Rights Reserved.\n\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/contact-us\/).\n- [Sitemap](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/sitemap\/).\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/privacy-policy\/).\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/terms-of-use\/).\n\nWebsite by [ChangeMakers](https:\/\/thechangemakers.com\/) \\| Programmed by [Trew Knowledge](https:\/\/trewknowledge.com\/) \\| Powered by [WordPress VIP](https:\/\/wpvip.com\/?utm_source=vip_powered_wpcom&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=VIP%20Footer%20Credit&utm_term=olympic.ca)\n\n## Cookie preferences\nWe use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Some are essential for you to access our website and\/or provide you with our services, enable you to share our website content via your social media accounts, and allow us to measure and improve the performance of our website. To learn more about the cookies and how we use them, please see our [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/privacy-policy\/) and [Terms of Use](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/terms-of-use\/).\n\nAccept All Cookies\n\nAccept Only Essential Cookies","attrs_readable_markdown":"September 11, 2025\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screenshot-2023-10-17-131039.png?w=96)\n\nHow do you define success?\n\nThis is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.\n\nIn sport, too often success can be seen as narrowly defined by podiums, medals, trophies, or wins. But such a limited idea of success can leech the joy from sport and negate the pride that one should feel from working each day towards a big goal.\n\nHere are some tidbits of wisdom from Team Canada athletes:\n\n#### **[Jocelyn Peterman](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/jocelyn-peterman\/) and [Brett Gallant](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brett-gallant\/) (Curling)**\nJP: We’ve been talking a lot about success as fully buying into our processes and the work that we’re putting in. Success isn’t necessarily the medals or how you finish. It’s more, if you’re the teammate you want to be on the ice, if we’re preparing the way we want to prepare, then that’s success for me.\n\n**READ: [Curlers Peterman & Gallant are first athletes nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/05\/05\/curlers-peterman-gallant-are-first-athletes-nominated-to-team-canada-for-milano-cortina-2026\/)**\n\nBG: We know what effort we put in behind the scenes and what we’re doing day-to-day to try to be at our best. At the end of the day, when you’ve gone through that process and you’ve done to the best of your abilities, that’s success. Sometimes getting through that grind of a training or, just the preparation, the lead up \\[to a competition\\], getting through all that, is a big success in itself.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SIA28903-097-e1746106601450.jpg?quality=100&w=1200)\n\nJocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant compete at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Anastasia Karekla\/World Curling)\n#### **[Cynthia Appiah](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/cynthia-appiah\/) (Bobsleigh)**\nThat’s an interesting question because I’ve really been trying to work on not tying success to a result. And that’s easier said than done.\n\nI had the the opportunity to watch sport and be inspired by the bobsledders of yesteryear, and I’m hoping that’s my legacy—that I inspire the next generation of bobsledders and that when they join the team, it’s a completely different sport than what I got into and I can leave the sport better than when I first got into it.\n\n![Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/MDB_20220214_61962.jpg?quality=100&w=1131)\n\nTeam Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC\n#### **[India Sherret](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/india-sherret\/) (Ski Cross)**\nThat’s one that I feel like I’ve been redefining it a little bit for myself over this last year or so. I used to kind of think that success was, you know, a particular result or a level of performance consistently.\n\nLately I feel a lot more that it’s: am I putting my whole self into this? Am I enjoying the process? Am I still having fun?\n\nObviously I want to win. I’m an athlete, that’s always going to be the goal. But for me to be successful in that goal, I think if I am enjoying what I’m doing and I know that I’m able to put my whole self into it and really dedicate myself to the whole process, that’s what success looks like for me.\n\n![India Sherret holds he ski poles up over her head in celebration](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/india-sherett-e1737127308268.jpg?quality=100&w=1340)\n\nREITERALM, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 17: India Sherret of Team Canada takes 1st place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on January 17, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. (Photo by Grega Valancic\/VOIGT\/Agence Zoom)\n#### **[Brodie Seger](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brodie-seger\/) (Alpine Skiing)**\nThat’s one I’ve been asking myself lately, actually.\n\nI think \\[success comes from\\] those bravery moments. It’s so much more deeply satisfying, whether you were first or 10th or 30th, when you know you lay down a run where you left everything on the mountain. You gave yourself a chance, you put yourself in a position to succeed.\n\nMistakes happen when you’re in that zone. If you’re just chasing the perfect run and you’re always trying to be on the perfect line and execute everything perfectly—that doesn’t exist, and it’s probably going to be slow. A deeper success comes when you leave it all out there and you know you gave yourself a chance. Whether it was your day or not, that’s not up to you, that’s out of your control.\n\n**READ: [Brodie Seger rises to meet challenges on the slopes and in ALS advocacy](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/2025\/06\/17\/brodie-seger-rises-to-meet-challenges-on-the-slopes-and-in-als-advocacy\/)**\n\n![Brodie Seger goes over a jump during an alpine ski race](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Brodie-Seger-e1649187006709.jpg?quality=100&w=1337)\n\nTeam Canada alpine skier Brodie Seger competes in the downhill portion of the men’s combined event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Photo by Darren Calabrese\/COC\n#### **[Lewis Irving](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/lewis-irving\/) (Freestyle Skiing – Aerials)**\nI think my definition of success has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, success was solely focused on results, winning, being the best. Getting a little older and having done a little more, now, to me, success is: can I look back at my day and be proud of what I did? Can I look back at my day and not have any regrets and not want to change anything? If I can check those boxes, then it was a successful day.\n\nFor example, at worlds I finished 10th. I messed up my qualifying jump. But we still pushed the envelope. We did the plan we were planning on doing. We didn’t take a step back when weather or conditions changed, we still went at it fully. So for me, it was easier to stomach the loss on a day where I did that. Had I gone the other way \\[and dialled it back\\], I don’t think I would have lived with it as easily. So yeah, just being being proud of my day is a successful day.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/CP173914857-e1737838889550.jpg?quality=100&w=1330)\n\nLewis Irving, of Lac Beauport, Que., celebrates a second place finish on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the FIS freestyle world cup aerials in Lac-Beauport, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Jacques Boissinot\n#### **Elliot Vaillancourt (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls)**\nSuccess is a feeling.\n\nIf you get success without all the effort, it doesn’t feel balanced. I feel like many athletes would agree, that feeling is the reward within yourself—that “I’ve worked my a\\*\\* off to get here and holy sh\\*t, we made it!” accomplishment.\n\n![Team Canada's Elliot Vaillancourt](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Elliot-Vaillancourt-.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nTeam Canada’s Elliot Vaillancourt celebrates post-competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Sean Kilpatrick\n#### **[Trinity Ellis](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/trinity-ellis\/) (Luge)**\nI think success to me is finishing a result and feeling personally satisfied. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a numerical result, but knowing that I really did the best that I possibly could, I feel like I’m always happy with the outcome of that.\n\n![Trinity Ellis slides past Olympic rings on luge track](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Trinity-Ellis-e1650487562449.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nTrinity Ellis, of Canada, slides during the luge women’s singles run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo\/Dmitri Lovetsky)\n#### **[Kevin Drury](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/kevin-drury\/) (Ski Cross)**\n\\[My definition of success has\\] changed over the years. I think now I’m at the point where as long as I know that I performed to the best of my abilities, I’m really happy.\n\nIn our sport, there’s so many variables that can happen—whether it’s someone hits you and you’re out of the race or you just crashed out—there’s so many things that can go wrong that you have no control over. And so I’m less results driven now and just like, how do I feel I did?\n\n![Reece Howden and Kevin Drury hold a Canadian flag between them on the podium](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/f25-crsx1-eb-00-0294-e1741982900432.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nReece Howden of Team Canada takes 1st place, Kevin Drury of Team Canada takes 3rd place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on March 14, 2024 in Craigleith, Canada. (Photo by Eric Bolte\/Agence Zoom)\n#### **[Brendan MacKay](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/brendan-mackay\/) (Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe)**\nI think leading into Beijing 2022, I really wanted a medal insanely badly, which ended up being pretty disappointing for me. Not performing in Beijing was challenging to reflect on.\n\nSo I think at least for these Olympics, I’m trying to be very open minded about any result. I think as long as I go out there and I give it my all and I commit to my plan, then I hope I’m very proud of whatever comes out of it.\n\n![A male halfpipe skier does a trick while competing for Team Canada](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Brendan-Mackay.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nBrendan Mackay, of Canada, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, USA (AP Photo\/Hugh Carey)\n#### **[Hannah Schmidt](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/hannah-schmidt\/) (Ski Cross)**\nPersonally, when I think of success, I think of resiliency. By no means did I have anything easy.\n\nAnd I think every athlete has their own story of struggles. But I think just being able to live with type one diabetes, deal with all the injuries, the doubts from some certain people, and just being able to push through and be resilient towards sport, that’s success.\n\n![Canada's Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women's final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/CP169904962-e1737039741895.jpg?quality=100&w=1338)\n\nCanada’s Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women’s final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Jeff McIntosh\n#### **[Alexandria Loutitt](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/alexandria-loutitt\/) (Ski Jumping)**\nI think that \\[success is\\] not just about standing at the top of the podium. It’s kind of like how you executed what you were trying to do.\n\nSometimes you can execute everything perfectly and still not win. But at the end of the day, that’s still a win, still a success.\n\n![Ski jumper looks down on the stadium from the air with skis extended](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/08\/MDB_20220207_15068-e1733252671672.jpg?quality=100&w=1335)\n\nTeam Canada ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt competes in the mixed team event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 07, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch\/COC\n#### **Cameron Spalding (Snowboard – Slopestyle\/Big Air)**\nObviously I want to be the best, I want to win everything, really. But at the same time, I just want to have as much fun as possible on my snowboard because that’s why I started. There’s really nothing else that compares in my mind to snowboarding. So as long as I’m having fun and the love for it is still there, then that’s success in my books.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/LAAXOPEN_25_GERARD_SPALDING_VICKTOR_by_Stadler_05718-XL.jpg?quality=100&w=1024)\n\nCameron Spalding stands on top of the podium in Laax. Photo credit: Snowboard Canada\n#### **[Dawn Richardson Wilson](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/dawn-richardson-wilson\/) (Bobsleigh)**\nSuccess is a word that I don’t think one person can justify for everyone. I think your version of success might be different from my version of success.\n\nLet’s say on a day-to-day basis, I could view success as, “I woke up and I ate breakfast today.” That could be success. And other people would be like, I managed to do this, do this, do this, do this and this, and that’s a successful day.\n\nSo I think for me, success is knowing that you put everything into whatever you wanted to do for that day, that goal, or whatever the case may be, and not feeling any what ifs at the end of it, because you know that you put in everything. And maybe on a given day your everything is only 90% of your full capacity, but that was still everything on that day.\n\nSo I think that’s just how I view success. It’s not so much winning gold or winning medals. Yes, that’s also success. But I would say it’s also the journey of how we get to those moments that makes up the success story.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/LH_20220218_86391-2.jpg?quality=100&w=1131)\n\nTeam Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson compete in the 2-woman bobsleigh event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, February 18, 2022. Photo by Leah Hennel\/COC\n#### **Embyr Lee Susko (Luge)**\nI think success, a lot of the time, is really defined by having that gold medal. But I’ve really tried to change my perspective on success and finding it within, and asking: what’s really important to \\[me\\] about that sport?\n\nLast season I really felt a lot of growth in that area. My success was not medaling at worlds. My success was not winning nationals. My success was finding so much joy in that season. I’m really appreciative that I’ve moved more into that headspace.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/embyrlee.jpg?quality=100&w=1084)\n\nCanada’s Embyr-Lee Susko, of Whistler, B.C., carries her sled off the track after racing to a ninth place finish during a women’s luge World Cup event in Whistler, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Darryl Dyck\n#### **[Florence Brunelle](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/team-canada\/florence-brunelle\/) (Short Track Speed Skating)**\nI think success became something \\[to me\\] in the last two years that it wasn’t before. For me, success is being able to value myself, based on what I do every single day. It’s all about the process. We hear “process, process, process.” For me, success is how disciplined I am in my journey.\n\n![](https:\/\/olympic.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ALL_20220209_28607.jpg?quality=100&w=1131)\n\nTeam Canada short track speed skater Florence Brunelle competes in the women’s 3000m relay event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, February 09, 2022. Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj\/COC","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

18 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.6 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://olympic.ca/2025/09/11/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium/
Last Crawled	2026-04-01 08:23:47 (18 days ago)
First Indexed	2025-09-11 13:42:29 (7 months ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Defining success: Team Canada athletes think beyond the podium - Team Canada
Meta Description	How do you define success? This is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	September 11, 2025 How do you define success? This is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. In sport, too often success can be seen as narrowly defined by podiums, medals, trophies, or wins. But such a limited idea of success can leech the joy from sport and negate the pride that one should feel from working each day towards a big goal. Here are some tidbits of wisdom from Team Canada athletes: Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant (Curling) JP: We’ve been talking a lot about success as fully buying into our processes and the work that we’re putting in. Success isn’t necessarily the medals or how you finish. It’s more, if you’re the teammate you want to be on the ice, if we’re preparing the way we want to prepare, then that’s success for me. READ: Curlers Peterman & Gallant are first athletes nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026 BG: We know what effort we put in behind the scenes and what we’re doing day-to-day to try to be at our best. At the end of the day, when you’ve gone through that process and you’ve done to the best of your abilities, that’s success. Sometimes getting through that grind of a training or, just the preparation, the lead up [to a competition], getting through all that, is a big success in itself. Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant compete at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Anastasia Karekla/World Curling) Cynthia Appiah (Bobsleigh) That’s an interesting question because I’ve really been trying to work on not tying success to a result. And that’s easier said than done. I had the the opportunity to watch sport and be inspired by the bobsledders of yesteryear, and I’m hoping that’s my legacy—that I inspire the next generation of bobsledders and that when they join the team, it’s a completely different sport than what I got into and I can leave the sport better than when I first got into it. Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC India Sherret (Ski Cross) That’s one that I feel like I’ve been redefining it a little bit for myself over this last year or so. I used to kind of think that success was, you know, a particular result or a level of performance consistently. Lately I feel a lot more that it’s: am I putting my whole self into this? Am I enjoying the process? Am I still having fun? Obviously I want to win. I’m an athlete, that’s always going to be the goal. But for me to be successful in that goal, I think if I am enjoying what I’m doing and I know that I’m able to put my whole self into it and really dedicate myself to the whole process, that’s what success looks like for me. REITERALM, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 17: India Sherret of Team Canada takes 1st place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on January 17, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. (Photo by Grega Valancic/VOIGT/Agence Zoom) Brodie Seger (Alpine Skiing) That’s one I’ve been asking myself lately, actually. I think [success comes from] those bravery moments. It’s so much more deeply satisfying, whether you were first or 10th or 30th, when you know you lay down a run where you left everything on the mountain. You gave yourself a chance, you put yourself in a position to succeed. Mistakes happen when you’re in that zone. If you’re just chasing the perfect run and you’re always trying to be on the perfect line and execute everything perfectly—that doesn’t exist, and it’s probably going to be slow. A deeper success comes when you leave it all out there and you know you gave yourself a chance. Whether it was your day or not, that’s not up to you, that’s out of your control. READ: Brodie Seger rises to meet challenges on the slopes and in ALS advocacy Team Canada alpine skier Brodie Seger competes in the downhill portion of the men’s combined event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Photo by Darren Calabrese/COC Lewis Irving (Freestyle Skiing – Aerials) I think my definition of success has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, success was solely focused on results, winning, being the best. Getting a little older and having done a little more, now, to me, success is: can I look back at my day and be proud of what I did? Can I look back at my day and not have any regrets and not want to change anything? If I can check those boxes, then it was a successful day. For example, at worlds I finished 10th. I messed up my qualifying jump. But we still pushed the envelope. We did the plan we were planning on doing. We didn’t take a step back when weather or conditions changed, we still went at it fully. So for me, it was easier to stomach the loss on a day where I did that. Had I gone the other way [and dialled it back], I don’t think I would have lived with it as easily. So yeah, just being being proud of my day is a successful day. Lewis Irving, of Lac Beauport, Que., celebrates a second place finish on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the FIS freestyle world cup aerials in Lac-Beauport, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot Elliot Vaillancourt (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls) Success is a feeling. If you get success without all the effort, it doesn’t feel balanced. I feel like many athletes would agree, that feeling is the reward within yourself—that “I’ve worked my a** off to get here and holy sh*t, we made it!” accomplishment. Team Canada’s Elliot Vaillancourt celebrates post-competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Trinity Ellis (Luge) I think success to me is finishing a result and feeling personally satisfied. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a numerical result, but knowing that I really did the best that I possibly could, I feel like I’m always happy with the outcome of that. Trinity Ellis, of Canada, slides during the luge women’s singles run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) Kevin Drury (Ski Cross) [My definition of success has] changed over the years. I think now I’m at the point where as long as I know that I performed to the best of my abilities, I’m really happy. In our sport, there’s so many variables that can happen—whether it’s someone hits you and you’re out of the race or you just crashed out—there’s so many things that can go wrong that you have no control over. And so I’m less results driven now and just like, how do I feel I did? Reece Howden of Team Canada takes 1st place, Kevin Drury of Team Canada takes 3rd place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on March 14, 2024 in Craigleith, Canada. (Photo by Eric Bolte/Agence Zoom) Brendan MacKay (Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe) I think leading into Beijing 2022, I really wanted a medal insanely badly, which ended up being pretty disappointing for me. Not performing in Beijing was challenging to reflect on. So I think at least for these Olympics, I’m trying to be very open minded about any result. I think as long as I go out there and I give it my all and I commit to my plan, then I hope I’m very proud of whatever comes out of it. Brendan Mackay, of Canada, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, USA (AP Photo/Hugh Carey) Hannah Schmidt (Ski Cross) Personally, when I think of success, I think of resiliency. By no means did I have anything easy. And I think every athlete has their own story of struggles. But I think just being able to live with type one diabetes, deal with all the injuries, the doubts from some certain people, and just being able to push through and be resilient towards sport, that’s success. Canada’s Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women’s final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Alexandria Loutitt (Ski Jumping) I think that [success is] not just about standing at the top of the podium. It’s kind of like how you executed what you were trying to do. Sometimes you can execute everything perfectly and still not win. But at the end of the day, that’s still a win, still a success. Team Canada ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt competes in the mixed team event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 07, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC Cameron Spalding (Snowboard – Slopestyle/Big Air) Obviously I want to be the best, I want to win everything, really. But at the same time, I just want to have as much fun as possible on my snowboard because that’s why I started. There’s really nothing else that compares in my mind to snowboarding. So as long as I’m having fun and the love for it is still there, then that’s success in my books. Cameron Spalding stands on top of the podium in Laax. Photo credit: Snowboard Canada Dawn Richardson Wilson (Bobsleigh) Success is a word that I don’t think one person can justify for everyone. I think your version of success might be different from my version of success. Let’s say on a day-to-day basis, I could view success as, “I woke up and I ate breakfast today.” That could be success. And other people would be like, I managed to do this, do this, do this, do this and this, and that’s a successful day. So I think for me, success is knowing that you put everything into whatever you wanted to do for that day, that goal, or whatever the case may be, and not feeling any what ifs at the end of it, because you know that you put in everything. And maybe on a given day your everything is only 90% of your full capacity, but that was still everything on that day. So I think that’s just how I view success. It’s not so much winning gold or winning medals. Yes, that’s also success. But I would say it’s also the journey of how we get to those moments that makes up the success story. Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson compete in the 2-woman bobsleigh event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, February 18, 2022. Photo by Leah Hennel/COC Embyr Lee Susko (Luge) I think success, a lot of the time, is really defined by having that gold medal. But I’ve really tried to change my perspective on success and finding it within, and asking: what’s really important to [me] about that sport? Last season I really felt a lot of growth in that area. My success was not medaling at worlds. My success was not winning nationals. My success was finding so much joy in that season. I’m really appreciative that I’ve moved more into that headspace. Canada’s Embyr-Lee Susko, of Whistler, B.C., carries her sled off the track after racing to a ninth place finish during a women’s luge World Cup event in Whistler, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Florence Brunelle (Short Track Speed Skating) I think success became something [to me] in the last two years that it wasn’t before. For me, success is being able to value myself, based on what I do every single day. It’s all about the process. We hear “process, process, process.” For me, success is how disciplined I am in my journey. Team Canada short track speed skater Florence Brunelle competes in the women’s 3000m relay event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, February 09, 2022. Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/COC
Markdown	[FR](https://olympique.ca/?p=263105) [![Olympic.ca Logo](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/themes/canadianolympiccommittee/assets/img/team-canada.svg)](https://olympic.ca/) - [Stories](https://olympic.ca/stories/) - [Athletes](https://olympic.ca/athletes/) - [Sports](https://olympic.ca/sports/) - [Games](https://olympic.ca/games) - [Donate Now](https://olympic.ca/foundation/support-team-canada/?utm_source=digital&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=moremenu) - [Team Canada App](https://olympic.ca/team-canada-olympic-app/) - [Podcast](https://olympic.ca/momentum-a-team-canada-podcast/) - [Olympic Club](https://olympic.ca/olympic-club/) - [Partners](https://olympic.ca/partners/) - [Press](https://olympic.ca/press/) - [Stats & Facts](https://olympic.ca/team-canada-olympic-stats-historical-facts/) - [Foundation](https://olympic.ca/foundation/) - [Education](https://olympic.ca/education/) - [Team Canada 2035](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/team-canada-2035/) - [Employment](https://olympic.ca/employment/) - [About Us](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/) - [Overview](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/) - [Governance](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/) - [Policies](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/policies/) - [Safeguarding Competition](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/safeguarding-competitions-from-manipulation-and-protecting-the-integrity-of-sport/) - [Board of Directors](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/board-of-directors/) - [Leadership Team](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/senior-leadership-team/) - [Athletes Commission](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/athletes-commission/) - [Session](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/session/) - [Annual Reports](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/annual-reports/) - [Bidding & Hosting](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/bidding-hosting/) - [Safe Sport](https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/safe-sport/) - [Brand Use](https://olympic.ca/brand-use/) - [Subscribe](https://olympic.ca/subscribe-to-sports-updates/) - [Contact Us](https://olympic.ca/contact-us/) ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Feature-images-5-1.jpg?quality=100&w=1080) # Defining success: Team Canada athletes think beyond the podium September 11, 2025 ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screenshot-2023-10-17-131039.png?w=96) By [Caela Fenton](https://olympic.ca/author/caela-fenton/) ### Share this: - [Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook](https://olympic.ca/2025/09/11/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium/?share=facebook) - [Share on X (Opens in new window) X](https://olympic.ca/2025/09/11/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium/?share=x) ![Checkmark icon](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/themes/canadianolympiccommittee/img/team-canada-icons/team-canada-navigation-checkmark-red.svg) ![Sharing icon](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/themes/canadianolympiccommittee/img/team-canada-icons/team-canada-profile-share-red.svg) How do you define success? This is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. In sport, too often success can be seen as narrowly defined by podiums, medals, trophies, or wins. But such a limited idea of success can leech the joy from sport and negate the pride that one should feel from working each day towards a big goal. Here are some tidbits of wisdom from Team Canada athletes: #### [Jocelyn Peterman](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/jocelyn-peterman/) and [Brett Gallant](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brett-gallant/) (Curling) JP: We’ve been talking a lot about success as fully buying into our processes and the work that we’re putting in. Success isn’t necessarily the medals or how you finish. It’s more, if you’re the teammate you want to be on the ice, if we’re preparing the way we want to prepare, then that’s success for me. READ: [Curlers Peterman & Gallant are first athletes nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026](https://olympic.ca/2025/05/05/curlers-peterman-gallant-are-first-athletes-nominated-to-team-canada-for-milano-cortina-2026/) BG: We know what effort we put in behind the scenes and what we’re doing day-to-day to try to be at our best. At the end of the day, when you’ve gone through that process and you’ve done to the best of your abilities, that’s success. Sometimes getting through that grind of a training or, just the preparation, the lead up \[to a competition\], getting through all that, is a big success in itself. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SIA28903-097-e1746106601450.jpg?quality=100&w=1200) Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant compete at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Anastasia Karekla/World Curling) #### [Cynthia Appiah](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/cynthia-appiah/) (Bobsleigh) That’s an interesting question because I’ve really been trying to work on not tying success to a result. And that’s easier said than done. I had the the opportunity to watch sport and be inspired by the bobsledders of yesteryear, and I’m hoping that’s my legacy—that I inspire the next generation of bobsledders and that when they join the team, it’s a completely different sport than what I got into and I can leave the sport better than when I first got into it. ![Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MDB_20220214_61962.jpg?quality=100&w=1131) Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC #### [India Sherret](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/india-sherret/) (Ski Cross) That’s one that I feel like I’ve been redefining it a little bit for myself over this last year or so. I used to kind of think that success was, you know, a particular result or a level of performance consistently. Lately I feel a lot more that it’s: am I putting my whole self into this? Am I enjoying the process? Am I still having fun? Obviously I want to win. I’m an athlete, that’s always going to be the goal. But for me to be successful in that goal, I think if I am enjoying what I’m doing and I know that I’m able to put my whole self into it and really dedicate myself to the whole process, that’s what success looks like for me. ![India Sherret holds he ski poles up over her head in celebration](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/india-sherett-e1737127308268.jpg?quality=100&w=1340) REITERALM, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 17: India Sherret of Team Canada takes 1st place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on January 17, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. (Photo by Grega Valancic/VOIGT/Agence Zoom) #### [Brodie Seger](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brodie-seger/) (Alpine Skiing) That’s one I’ve been asking myself lately, actually. I think \[success comes from\] those bravery moments. It’s so much more deeply satisfying, whether you were first or 10th or 30th, when you know you lay down a run where you left everything on the mountain. You gave yourself a chance, you put yourself in a position to succeed. Mistakes happen when you’re in that zone. If you’re just chasing the perfect run and you’re always trying to be on the perfect line and execute everything perfectly—that doesn’t exist, and it’s probably going to be slow. A deeper success comes when you leave it all out there and you know you gave yourself a chance. Whether it was your day or not, that’s not up to you, that’s out of your control. READ: [Brodie Seger rises to meet challenges on the slopes and in ALS advocacy](https://olympic.ca/2025/06/17/brodie-seger-rises-to-meet-challenges-on-the-slopes-and-in-als-advocacy/) ![Brodie Seger goes over a jump during an alpine ski race](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Brodie-Seger-e1649187006709.jpg?quality=100&w=1337) Team Canada alpine skier Brodie Seger competes in the downhill portion of the men’s combined event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Photo by Darren Calabrese/COC #### [Lewis Irving](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/lewis-irving/) (Freestyle Skiing – Aerials) I think my definition of success has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, success was solely focused on results, winning, being the best. Getting a little older and having done a little more, now, to me, success is: can I look back at my day and be proud of what I did? Can I look back at my day and not have any regrets and not want to change anything? If I can check those boxes, then it was a successful day. For example, at worlds I finished 10th. I messed up my qualifying jump. But we still pushed the envelope. We did the plan we were planning on doing. We didn’t take a step back when weather or conditions changed, we still went at it fully. So for me, it was easier to stomach the loss on a day where I did that. Had I gone the other way \[and dialled it back\], I don’t think I would have lived with it as easily. So yeah, just being being proud of my day is a successful day. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CP173914857-e1737838889550.jpg?quality=100&w=1330) Lewis Irving, of Lac Beauport, Que., celebrates a second place finish on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the FIS freestyle world cup aerials in Lac-Beauport, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot #### Elliot Vaillancourt (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls) Success is a feeling. If you get success without all the effort, it doesn’t feel balanced. I feel like many athletes would agree, that feeling is the reward within yourself—that “I’ve worked my a\\ off to get here and holy sh\t, we made it!” accomplishment. ![Team Canada's Elliot Vaillancourt](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Elliot-Vaillancourt-.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Team Canada’s Elliot Vaillancourt celebrates post-competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick #### [Trinity Ellis](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/trinity-ellis/) (Luge)* I think success to me is finishing a result and feeling personally satisfied. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a numerical result, but knowing that I really did the best that I possibly could, I feel like I’m always happy with the outcome of that. ![Trinity Ellis slides past Olympic rings on luge track](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Trinity-Ellis-e1650487562449.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Trinity Ellis, of Canada, slides during the luge women’s singles run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) #### [Kevin Drury](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/kevin-drury/) (Ski Cross) \[My definition of success has\] changed over the years. I think now I’m at the point where as long as I know that I performed to the best of my abilities, I’m really happy. In our sport, there’s so many variables that can happen—whether it’s someone hits you and you’re out of the race or you just crashed out—there’s so many things that can go wrong that you have no control over. And so I’m less results driven now and just like, how do I feel I did? ![Reece Howden and Kevin Drury hold a Canadian flag between them on the podium](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/f25-crsx1-eb-00-0294-e1741982900432.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Reece Howden of Team Canada takes 1st place, Kevin Drury of Team Canada takes 3rd place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on March 14, 2024 in Craigleith, Canada. (Photo by Eric Bolte/Agence Zoom) #### [Brendan MacKay](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brendan-mackay/) (Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe) I think leading into Beijing 2022, I really wanted a medal insanely badly, which ended up being pretty disappointing for me. Not performing in Beijing was challenging to reflect on. So I think at least for these Olympics, I’m trying to be very open minded about any result. I think as long as I go out there and I give it my all and I commit to my plan, then I hope I’m very proud of whatever comes out of it. ![A male halfpipe skier does a trick while competing for Team Canada](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Brendan-Mackay.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Brendan Mackay, of Canada, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, USA (AP Photo/Hugh Carey) #### [Hannah Schmidt](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/hannah-schmidt/) (Ski Cross) Personally, when I think of success, I think of resiliency. By no means did I have anything easy. And I think every athlete has their own story of struggles. But I think just being able to live with type one diabetes, deal with all the injuries, the doubts from some certain people, and just being able to push through and be resilient towards sport, that’s success. ![Canada's Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women's final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CP169904962-e1737039741895.jpg?quality=100&w=1338) Canada’s Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women’s final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh #### [Alexandria Loutitt](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/alexandria-loutitt/) (Ski Jumping) I think that \[success is\] not just about standing at the top of the podium. It’s kind of like how you executed what you were trying to do. Sometimes you can execute everything perfectly and still not win. But at the end of the day, that’s still a win, still a success. ![Ski jumper looks down on the stadium from the air with skis extended](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/MDB_20220207_15068-e1733252671672.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Team Canada ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt competes in the mixed team event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 07, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC #### Cameron Spalding (Snowboard – Slopestyle/Big Air) Obviously I want to be the best, I want to win everything, really. But at the same time, I just want to have as much fun as possible on my snowboard because that’s why I started. There’s really nothing else that compares in my mind to snowboarding. So as long as I’m having fun and the love for it is still there, then that’s success in my books. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/LAAXOPEN_25_GERARD_SPALDING_VICKTOR_by_Stadler_05718-XL.jpg?quality=100&w=1024) Cameron Spalding stands on top of the podium in Laax. Photo credit: Snowboard Canada #### [Dawn Richardson Wilson](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/dawn-richardson-wilson/) (Bobsleigh) Success is a word that I don’t think one person can justify for everyone. I think your version of success might be different from my version of success. Let’s say on a day-to-day basis, I could view success as, “I woke up and I ate breakfast today.” That could be success. And other people would be like, I managed to do this, do this, do this, do this and this, and that’s a successful day. So I think for me, success is knowing that you put everything into whatever you wanted to do for that day, that goal, or whatever the case may be, and not feeling any what ifs at the end of it, because you know that you put in everything. And maybe on a given day your everything is only 90% of your full capacity, but that was still everything on that day. So I think that’s just how I view success. It’s not so much winning gold or winning medals. Yes, that’s also success. But I would say it’s also the journey of how we get to those moments that makes up the success story. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/LH_20220218_86391-2.jpg?quality=100&w=1131) Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson compete in the 2-woman bobsleigh event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, February 18, 2022. Photo by Leah Hennel/COC #### Embyr Lee Susko (Luge) I think success, a lot of the time, is really defined by having that gold medal. But I’ve really tried to change my perspective on success and finding it within, and asking: what’s really important to \[me\] about that sport? Last season I really felt a lot of growth in that area. My success was not medaling at worlds. My success was not winning nationals. My success was finding so much joy in that season. I’m really appreciative that I’ve moved more into that headspace. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/embyrlee.jpg?quality=100&w=1084) Canada’s Embyr-Lee Susko, of Whistler, B.C., carries her sled off the track after racing to a ninth place finish during a women’s luge World Cup event in Whistler, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck #### [Florence Brunelle](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/florence-brunelle/) (Short Track Speed Skating) I think success became something \[to me\] in the last two years that it wasn’t before. For me, success is being able to value myself, based on what I do every single day. It’s all about the process. We hear “process, process, process.” For me, success is how disciplined I am in my journey. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ALL_20220209_28607.jpg?quality=100&w=1131) Team Canada short track speed skater Florence Brunelle competes in the women’s 3000m relay event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, February 09, 2022. Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/COC * ## Related Stories [![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Feature-images-17.jpg?quality=100&w=333) Weekend Roundup: Team Canada wraps up winter with World Championship, World Cup podiums Paula Nichols March 30, 2026](https://olympic.ca/2026/03/30/weekend-roundup-team-canada-wraps-up-winter-with-world-championship-world-cup-podiums/) [![A member of Team Canada celebrates with his hands in the air after completing a World Cup run](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Reece-Howden.jpg?quality=100&w=342) Howden closes ski cross season with back-to-back podiums and Crystal Globe Hayley McGoldrick March 29, 2026](https://olympic.ca/2026/03/29/howden-wins-silver-in-ski-cross-at-gallivare/) [![Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier from Canada wave before the medal ceremony.](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/CP176058246.jpg?quality=100&w=342) Gilles & Poirier win ice dance silver at figure skating world championships Chloe Morrison March 28, 2026](https://olympic.ca/2026/03/28/gilles-poirier-win-ice-dance-silver-at-figure-skating-world-championships/) [View all stories](https://olympic.ca/stories) * ## Related Athletes [![Jocelyn Peterman](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/JOCELYN_PETERMAN-e1638283726808.jpg?quality=100&w=350)](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/jocelyn-peterman/) #### [Jocelyn Peterman](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/jocelyn-peterman/) [Curling](https://olympic.ca/sport/curling/) Add this Sport to your favourites Jocelyn Peterman made her Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 in the women’s curling event. Women’s Curling Career Peterman fulfilled a... [![Brett Gallant](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/BRETT_GALLANT-e1638283867795.jpg?quality=100&w=350)](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brett-gallant/) #### [Brett Gallant](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brett-gallant/) [Curling](https://olympic.ca/sport/curling/) Add this Sport to your favourites Brett Gallant made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 where he won a bronze medal. He has also won four… [![Geoff Walker](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/GEOFF_WALKER-e1638283811441.jpg?quality=100&w=350)](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/geoff-walker/) #### [Geoff Walker](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/geoff-walker/) [Curling](https://olympic.ca/sport/curling/) Add this Sport to your favourites Geoff Walker made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 where he won a bronze medal. He has also won four… [View all athletes](https://olympic.ca/athletes) *** ## Related Sports [![Sport Logo](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/curling-canada.png?w=198)](https://olympic.ca/sports/curling/) #### [Curling](https://olympic.ca/sports/curling/) [Winter](https://olympic.ca/season/winter/) Add this Sport to your favourites ![trending](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/themes/canadianolympiccommittee/img/team-canada-icons/team-canada-profile-trending-red.svg) Curling is one of the most strategic sports at the Olympic Winter Games. Playing on a rectanglular sheet of ice,… [![Sport Logo](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/boxing-canada.png?w=198)](https://olympic.ca/sports/boxing/) #### [Boxing](https://olympic.ca/sports/boxing/) [Summer](https://olympic.ca/season/summer/) Add this Sport to your favourites At its core, boxing is a contest in which two combatants engage hand-to-hand for sport. [![Sport Logo](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/bobsleigh-canada.png?w=198)](https://olympic.ca/sports/skeleton/) #### [Skeleton](https://olympic.ca/sports/skeleton/) [Winter](https://olympic.ca/season/winter/) Add this Sport to your favourites Skeleton is contested on an ice track. The athletes typically sprint alongside their sled for the first few seconds of… [View all sports](https://olympic.ca/sports) ## Subscribe to Sports Updates Sign up for emails about Team Canada athletes, sports results, and inspiring athlete stories delivered every Monday. You are now signed up for the newsletter. © 2026 Canadian Olympic Committee. All Rights Reserved. - [Contact Us](https://olympic.ca/contact-us/). - [Sitemap](https://olympic.ca/sitemap/). - [Privacy Policy](https://olympic.ca/privacy-policy/). - [Terms of Use](https://olympic.ca/terms-of-use/). Website by [ChangeMakers](https://thechangemakers.com/) \\| Programmed by [Trew Knowledge](https://trewknowledge.com/) \\| Powered by [WordPress VIP](https://wpvip.com/?utm_source=vip_powered_wpcom&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=VIP%20Footer%20Credit&utm_term=olympic.ca) ## Cookie preferences We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Some are essential for you to access our website and/or provide you with our services, enable you to share our website content via your social media accounts, and allow us to measure and improve the performance of our website. To learn more about the cookies and how we use them, please see our [Privacy Policy](https://olympic.ca/privacy-policy/) and [Terms of Use](https://olympic.ca/terms-of-use/). Accept All Cookies Accept Only Essential Cookies
Readable Markdown	September 11, 2025 ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Screenshot-2023-10-17-131039.png?w=96) How do you define success? This is a question we posed to Canadian athletes as they journey towards the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. In sport, too often success can be seen as narrowly defined by podiums, medals, trophies, or wins. But such a limited idea of success can leech the joy from sport and negate the pride that one should feel from working each day towards a big goal. Here are some tidbits of wisdom from Team Canada athletes: #### [Jocelyn Peterman](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/jocelyn-peterman/) and [Brett Gallant](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brett-gallant/) (Curling) JP: We’ve been talking a lot about success as fully buying into our processes and the work that we’re putting in. Success isn’t necessarily the medals or how you finish. It’s more, if you’re the teammate you want to be on the ice, if we’re preparing the way we want to prepare, then that’s success for me. READ: [Curlers Peterman & Gallant are first athletes nominated to Team Canada for Milano Cortina 2026](https://olympic.ca/2025/05/05/curlers-peterman-gallant-are-first-athletes-nominated-to-team-canada-for-milano-cortina-2026/) BG: We know what effort we put in behind the scenes and what we’re doing day-to-day to try to be at our best. At the end of the day, when you’ve gone through that process and you’ve done to the best of your abilities, that’s success. Sometimes getting through that grind of a training or, just the preparation, the lead up \[to a competition\], getting through all that, is a big success in itself. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SIA28903-097-e1746106601450.jpg?quality=100&w=1200) Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant compete at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton, New Brunswick (Anastasia Karekla/World Curling) #### [Cynthia Appiah](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/cynthia-appiah/) (Bobsleigh) That’s an interesting question because I’ve really been trying to work on not tying success to a result. And that’s easier said than done. I had the the opportunity to watch sport and be inspired by the bobsledders of yesteryear, and I’m hoping that’s my legacy—that I inspire the next generation of bobsledders and that when they join the team, it’s a completely different sport than what I got into and I can leave the sport better than when I first got into it. ![Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MDB_20220214_61962.jpg?quality=100&w=1131) Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah competes in the women’s bobsleigh monobob fourth heat during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 14, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC #### [India Sherret](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/india-sherret/) (Ski Cross) That’s one that I feel like I’ve been redefining it a little bit for myself over this last year or so. I used to kind of think that success was, you know, a particular result or a level of performance consistently. Lately I feel a lot more that it’s: am I putting my whole self into this? Am I enjoying the process? Am I still having fun? Obviously I want to win. I’m an athlete, that’s always going to be the goal. But for me to be successful in that goal, I think if I am enjoying what I’m doing and I know that I’m able to put my whole self into it and really dedicate myself to the whole process, that’s what success looks like for me. ![India Sherret holds he ski poles up over her head in celebration](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/india-sherett-e1737127308268.jpg?quality=100&w=1340) REITERALM, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 17: India Sherret of Team Canada takes 1st place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on January 17, 2025 in Reiteralm, Austria. (Photo by Grega Valancic/VOIGT/Agence Zoom) #### [Brodie Seger](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brodie-seger/) (Alpine Skiing) That’s one I’ve been asking myself lately, actually. I think \[success comes from\] those bravery moments. It’s so much more deeply satisfying, whether you were first or 10th or 30th, when you know you lay down a run where you left everything on the mountain. You gave yourself a chance, you put yourself in a position to succeed. Mistakes happen when you’re in that zone. If you’re just chasing the perfect run and you’re always trying to be on the perfect line and execute everything perfectly—that doesn’t exist, and it’s probably going to be slow. A deeper success comes when you leave it all out there and you know you gave yourself a chance. Whether it was your day or not, that’s not up to you, that’s out of your control. READ: [Brodie Seger rises to meet challenges on the slopes and in ALS advocacy](https://olympic.ca/2025/06/17/brodie-seger-rises-to-meet-challenges-on-the-slopes-and-in-als-advocacy/) ![Brodie Seger goes over a jump during an alpine ski race](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Brodie-Seger-e1649187006709.jpg?quality=100&w=1337) Team Canada alpine skier Brodie Seger competes in the downhill portion of the men’s combined event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Photo by Darren Calabrese/COC #### [Lewis Irving](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/lewis-irving/) (Freestyle Skiing – Aerials) I think my definition of success has changed throughout the years. When I was younger, success was solely focused on results, winning, being the best. Getting a little older and having done a little more, now, to me, success is: can I look back at my day and be proud of what I did? Can I look back at my day and not have any regrets and not want to change anything? If I can check those boxes, then it was a successful day. For example, at worlds I finished 10th. I messed up my qualifying jump. But we still pushed the envelope. We did the plan we were planning on doing. We didn’t take a step back when weather or conditions changed, we still went at it fully. So for me, it was easier to stomach the loss on a day where I did that. Had I gone the other way \[and dialled it back\], I don’t think I would have lived with it as easily. So yeah, just being being proud of my day is a successful day. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/CP173914857-e1737838889550.jpg?quality=100&w=1330) Lewis Irving, of Lac Beauport, Que., celebrates a second place finish on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at the FIS freestyle world cup aerials in Lac-Beauport, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot #### Elliot Vaillancourt (Freestyle Skiing – Moguls) Success is a feeling. If you get success without all the effort, it doesn’t feel balanced. I feel like many athletes would agree, that feeling is the reward within yourself—that “I’ve worked my a\\ off to get here and holy sh\t, we made it!” accomplishment. ![Team Canada's Elliot Vaillancourt](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Elliot-Vaillancourt-.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Team Canada’s Elliot Vaillancourt celebrates post-competition. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick #### [Trinity Ellis](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/trinity-ellis/) (Luge)* I think success to me is finishing a result and feeling personally satisfied. It doesn’t necessarily have to be like a numerical result, but knowing that I really did the best that I possibly could, I feel like I’m always happy with the outcome of that. ![Trinity Ellis slides past Olympic rings on luge track](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Trinity-Ellis-e1650487562449.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Trinity Ellis, of Canada, slides during the luge women’s singles run 3 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) #### [Kevin Drury](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/kevin-drury/) (Ski Cross) \[My definition of success has\] changed over the years. I think now I’m at the point where as long as I know that I performed to the best of my abilities, I’m really happy. In our sport, there’s so many variables that can happen—whether it’s someone hits you and you’re out of the race or you just crashed out—there’s so many things that can go wrong that you have no control over. And so I’m less results driven now and just like, how do I feel I did? ![Reece Howden and Kevin Drury hold a Canadian flag between them on the podium](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/f25-crsx1-eb-00-0294-e1741982900432.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Reece Howden of Team Canada takes 1st place, Kevin Drury of Team Canada takes 3rd place during the FIS Ski Cross World Cup Men’s and Women’s Ski Cross on March 14, 2024 in Craigleith, Canada. (Photo by Eric Bolte/Agence Zoom) #### [Brendan MacKay](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/brendan-mackay/) (Freestyle Skiing – Halfpipe) I think leading into Beijing 2022, I really wanted a medal insanely badly, which ended up being pretty disappointing for me. Not performing in Beijing was challenging to reflect on. So I think at least for these Olympics, I’m trying to be very open minded about any result. I think as long as I go out there and I give it my all and I commit to my plan, then I hope I’m very proud of whatever comes out of it. ![A male halfpipe skier does a trick while competing for Team Canada](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Brendan-Mackay.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Brendan Mackay, of Canada, executes a trick in the halfpipe finals during the World Cup U.S. Grand Prix freestyle skiing event in Copper Mountain, USA (AP Photo/Hugh Carey) #### [Hannah Schmidt](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/hannah-schmidt/) (Ski Cross) Personally, when I think of success, I think of resiliency. By no means did I have anything easy. And I think every athlete has their own story of struggles. But I think just being able to live with type one diabetes, deal with all the injuries, the doubts from some certain people, and just being able to push through and be resilient towards sport, that’s success. ![Canada's Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women's final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/CP169904962-e1737039741895.jpg?quality=100&w=1338) Canada’s Hannah Schmidt celebrates her victory on the podium following the women’s final of a World Cup ski cross event at Nakiska Ski Resort in Kananaskis, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh #### [Alexandria Loutitt](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/alexandria-loutitt/) (Ski Jumping) I think that \[success is\] not just about standing at the top of the podium. It’s kind of like how you executed what you were trying to do. Sometimes you can execute everything perfectly and still not win. But at the end of the day, that’s still a win, still a success. ![Ski jumper looks down on the stadium from the air with skis extended](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/MDB_20220207_15068-e1733252671672.jpg?quality=100&w=1335) Team Canada ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt competes in the mixed team event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Monday, February 07, 2022. Photo by Mark Blinch/COC #### Cameron Spalding (Snowboard – Slopestyle/Big Air) Obviously I want to be the best, I want to win everything, really. But at the same time, I just want to have as much fun as possible on my snowboard because that’s why I started. There’s really nothing else that compares in my mind to snowboarding. So as long as I’m having fun and the love for it is still there, then that’s success in my books. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/LAAXOPEN_25_GERARD_SPALDING_VICKTOR_by_Stadler_05718-XL.jpg?quality=100&w=1024) Cameron Spalding stands on top of the podium in Laax. Photo credit: Snowboard Canada #### [Dawn Richardson Wilson](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/dawn-richardson-wilson/) (Bobsleigh) Success is a word that I don’t think one person can justify for everyone. I think your version of success might be different from my version of success. Let’s say on a day-to-day basis, I could view success as, “I woke up and I ate breakfast today.” That could be success. And other people would be like, I managed to do this, do this, do this, do this and this, and that’s a successful day. So I think for me, success is knowing that you put everything into whatever you wanted to do for that day, that goal, or whatever the case may be, and not feeling any what ifs at the end of it, because you know that you put in everything. And maybe on a given day your everything is only 90% of your full capacity, but that was still everything on that day. So I think that’s just how I view success. It’s not so much winning gold or winning medals. Yes, that’s also success. But I would say it’s also the journey of how we get to those moments that makes up the success story. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/LH_20220218_86391-2.jpg?quality=100&w=1131) Team Canada’s Cynthia Appiah and Dawn Richardson Wilson compete in the 2-woman bobsleigh event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, February 18, 2022. Photo by Leah Hennel/COC #### Embyr Lee Susko (Luge) I think success, a lot of the time, is really defined by having that gold medal. But I’ve really tried to change my perspective on success and finding it within, and asking: what’s really important to \[me\] about that sport? Last season I really felt a lot of growth in that area. My success was not medaling at worlds. My success was not winning nationals. My success was finding so much joy in that season. I’m really appreciative that I’ve moved more into that headspace. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/embyrlee.jpg?quality=100&w=1084) Canada’s Embyr-Lee Susko, of Whistler, B.C., carries her sled off the track after racing to a ninth place finish during a women’s luge World Cup event in Whistler, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck #### [Florence Brunelle](https://olympic.ca/team-canada/florence-brunelle/) (Short Track Speed Skating) I think success became something \[to me\] in the last two years that it wasn’t before. For me, success is being able to value myself, based on what I do every single day. It’s all about the process. We hear “process, process, process.” For me, success is how disciplined I am in my journey. ![](https://olympic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ALL_20220209_28607.jpg?quality=100&w=1131) Team Canada short track speed skater Florence Brunelle competes in the women’s 3000m relay event during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Wednesday, February 09, 2022. Photo by Andrew Lahodynskyj/COC
Shard	35 (laksa)
Root Hash	591123479830988235
Unparsed URL	ca,olympic!/2025/09/11/defining-success-team-canada-athletes-think-beyond-the-podium/ s443