2024 Canoe Kayak Sprint Championships Experience - written by Meera Kalar

The 2024 Sprint National Championships were held in Welland Ontario, at the Welland International Flat water Centre. Hundreds of athletes from clubs across Canada attended. It was a challenge to acclimatize to the humidity and headwinds. However, once we set up and settled into our routine, we all focused on our races. This was my third time attending Nationals and this year was by far my favourite. Not only because we raced at a world class facility, it was a chance to display the accumulation of hard work and training.

My favourite events to compete in were the Junior K4 500 m and the U18 K2 1,000 m. I really enjoyed racing with my team in our crew boats. We had each other's backs and I felt like we supported each other from the start to finish line. Because of our strong connection to the boat and to each other, we earned a bronze medal in the Junior K4 500m!  This was a special experience for me as this was my first nationals medal. In August 2020, I attended my first kayak summer camp and was super excited to discover the sport. Ironically, Nationals were cancelled due to Covid. Four years later, I am grateful for the training and personal growth that paddling has given me. I am lucky to be a part of a team that is supportive and hard working!