Audrey Leduc of Gatineau, Que., doesn’t know what’s subsequent and, if all goes to plan, doesn’t wish to think about using what is going to quickly be her two levels from Université Laval.
Not like lots of her Canadian sprinting friends, Leduc, 22, remained in Canada after highschool as a substitute of chasing the NCAA dream that many maintain in excessive esteem. With a bachelor’s in psychology from Laval and presently in pursuit of an MBA, the concept of a profession in enterprise or teachers is on the again burner for now, as she eyes an Olympic berth—and doubtlessly extra.
Canada’s quickest girl will tackle the nation’s finest on the Bell Canadian Olympic Trials on Friday night time in Montreal. She is seeking to clinch her spot at Paris 2024 (which is all however official), having already run Olympic-standard occasions within the 100m and 200m.
Audrey Leduc is having fairly the season as Canada’s breakout sprinter forward of Olympic trials and Paris 2024.
Right this moment in Atlanta, she smashed the Canadian girls’s 200m file, ending in 22.36 seconds.
She set the 🍁 100m file earlier this 12 months.
pic.twitter.com/h5jkzOJFLe— Ben Steiner (@BenSteiner00) June 1, 2024
“My objective was going to be to remain in Québec and Canada to show that athletes can nonetheless make it on the worldwide stage, and Laval has been the place to try this,” she informed Canadian Working, praising the varsity’s means to help high athletes and the continuity she’s been capable of obtain below coach Fabrice Akué, who moved together with her from Québec Metropolis to Montreal’s nationwide coaching centre.
“Having the ability to compete with the Rouge et Or and having the potential of lessons on-line is vital, as a result of we’ve got so many meets exterior Canada, and the college has been an excellent help,” stated Leduc.
This season, although, has been pretty sudden, and finding out remotely has been important to her success. Lining up in Laval’s pink and gold colors throughout america and around the globe, Leduc raced to a 100m file of 10.96 seconds in Baton Rouge, La., and a 200m file of twenty-two.36 in Atlanta—stopping the clock in occasions that might shock her counterparts within the NCAA.
“It may be overwhelming at occasions,” she stated. “It’s been thrilling to be in a spot to chase data and get the Canadian 100m and 200m data, and to proceed what I used to be doing in the course of the indoor season, now within the outside season.”
Firstly of the 12 months, her objective was to compete at Paris 2024. She’d hoped her World Athletics rating could be sufficient to qualify her, and that she wouldn’t essentially must qualify on occasions. But, because the season has worn on and her opponents have completed full seconds behind her, the truth set in that she was Canada’s quickest girl, and had gotten to that time by U SPORTS.
Whereas being in Canadian college sport has allowed Leduc to be on the high of competitions since coming in as a first-year student-athlete, she says it’s the crew awards that stand out (e.g., successful a crew bronze medal on the Laval-hosted RSEQ championships). In fact, she performed an enormous function in that crew podium, successful the 60m and lengthy bounce occasions, elevating the Rouge et Or to the rostrum typically occupied by large Ontario faculties.
For somebody who has collected seemingly numerous data and was just lately named the 2023-24 U SPORTS Athlete of the Yr, there’s nonetheless a component of shock for Leduc. She has damaged out so rapidly in Canadian sprinting whereas carrying a way of satisfaction, not just for her college and nation, but additionally for the system that she’s confirmed has price.
“The NCAA could be a nice alternative, however I don’t really feel like I missed something staying in Canada,” she stated. “As a result of we’ve got fewer elite-level athletes, you may win extra and have extra confidence by that, and that may assist you develop to have the ability to attain a better degree after college.”
Now comes the laborious a part of turning pace and wins right into a profession, one that may proceed even as soon as she crosses the end line a closing time. However for now, that may wait—Paris and the Olympic stage are subsequent, and it could possibly all begin to really feel very actual on Friday night time.
Canada’s fastest sprinter Audrey Leduc’s unconventional path to the Olympics
