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Alison Desmarais

Canada

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSCAN22606199701
NOCCanada
Born26 Jun 1997
GenderWomen
ResidenceCalgary, AB, CAN
Higher educationExercise and Health Science, Kinesiology - University of Calgary: Canada
OccupationAthlete, Coach
LanguagesEnglish
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 39.18 30 Dec 2023 Calgary  
    1000m 1:16.19 20 Nov 2022 Calgary  
    1500m 1:56.87 02 Dec 2023 Calgary  
    3000m 4:08.93 17 Mar 2023 Calgary  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Club / TeamVanderhoof Clippers Speed Skating Club: Canada  
General Interest
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievementFinishing third in the 3000m relay at the 2018 World Cup event in Calgary, AB, Canada. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2018)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sport"My family started the club in the town [Vanderhoof, BC, Canada] so it was a family activity. I was 12 when I started getting more committed and more intense. I started going for provincial-level competitions, and when I was 15, I made my first national-level competition and by that point I knew this was something I wanted to pursue."  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerHer parents. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2018)  
Hero / IdolCanadian speed skater Cindy Klassen, Canadian short track skater Jamie Macdonald. (Athlete, 13 Nov 2018; ominecaexpress.com, 15 Nov 2019)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?She began skating at age eight in Vanderhoof, BC, Canada. She competed in short track until 2019 when she switched to speed skating.  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"Always keep it fun." (Athlete, 13 Nov 2018)  
Awards and honoursShe was awarded the 2017 Premier's Award for Aboriginal Youth Excellence in Sport in British Columbia, Canada. (myprincegeorgenow.com, 21 Mar 2018)  
Other informationSHORT TO LONG TRACK
She previously competed in short track at international level. In 2019 she took part in a nationwide talent search, RBC Training Ground, in the hope of pursuing a new sport at Olympic level. When she completed a vertical jump test as part of the talent search programme, coaches noticed her potential. "They had scouts or people from the national sport organisations that are watching the athletes and see who they would like to recruit. After one jump, the speed skating recruit comes up to me and asks, 'What sport did you do?' And I said, 'I was a speed skater', and she was like, 'Yeah, go figure'." She subsequently moved from Vanderhoof, BC, to Calgary, AB, to start training with Speed Skating Canada. "I wasn't loving it [short track] as much as normal. Like, I still love skating, but I had to move to Montreal if I wanted to continue with short track because that's the centre for skating in Canada, and it just wasn't as much as a passion for me anymore. I noticed my constant smile being replaced with daily uncontrollable tears and training felt more like a chore than a joy. I've always known, to me, sport is not worth the smile on my face or the joy in my heart, so although I still very much love this sport I also know it's time for change." (princegeorgecitizen.com, 04 Sep 2019; thegauntlet.ca, 01 Nov 2018; passionpvss.blogspot.com, 05 Sep 2019)

COACHING
She has worked as a strength and conditioning coach for Speed Skating British Columbia in Canada. "Although I've been skating for 16 years, it's a different experience being on the other side and I have already learned so much [as a coach]. The biggest thing I've learned so far is how much goes into planning a strength and conditioning programme that is structured, science-based, and suitable / effective for a wide range of individuals. I respect my coaches on a whole new level." (speedskatingbc.ca, 01 Jan 2021)
 
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010720056226  
twitter.com/AlisonJoy_D  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesBaking. (speedskatingbc.ca, 01 Jan 2021)  
Other sportsShe has competed in short track at World Cup events, and finished third in the 3000m relay at 2018 event in Calgary, AB, Canada. (passionpvss.blogspot.com, 09 May 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 10 Oct 2023)  
AmbitionsTo compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (calgary.ctvnews.ca, 08 Jun 2023)  
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2022/2023 Four Continents Championships 1500m3  
    2022/2023 Four Continents Championships Team Sprint3  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 1000m23  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1500m41  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1000m44  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 1500m48