Danaé Blais

Other information	BALANCING SPORT AND STUDY She has also studied at the University of Quebec in Montreal. "With our busy training schedule, I try to study a little every day with 30-minute blocks so I don't fall behind on my homework. I also communicate a lot with the teachers to make arrangements when I am competing abroad. My advice for young athletes would be to find their own balance in their academic journey. My philosophy as a student-athlete is that sometimes it is better to take less classes per semester to give yourself a chance to do well in class, while still performing at your best in your sport. As they say, 'Too much is like not enough'." (insquebec.org, 09 Feb 2022; Facebook profile, 20 Oct 2022) MENTAL HEALTH She experienced anxiety and depression in the two years leading up to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. "The last two years have been very difficult. I have been through several challenges in my personal life and with my family and this has led me for the first time to symptoms related to anxiety and depression. This affected my athletic performance a lot and I had to learn to ask for help and not be afraid to ask for it. I came out of it stronger and now I try to advocate the best that I can for mental health in sports and personal wellness of athletes." (insquebec.org, 09 Feb 2022)
Memorable sporting achievement	Winning gold in the 3000m relay at the 2018 World Junior Championships in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland. (Athlete, 05 Dec 2019)
Famous relatives	Her older brother Cedrik Blais has represented Canada in short track. He was part of the team that won gold in the 5000m relay at the 2020 World Cup event in Dordrecht, Netherlands. (mn2s.com, 16 Feb 2020; SportsDeskOnline, 15 Dec 2020; Athlete, 13 Nov 2018)

Reason for choosing this sport

"My brother was already doing speed skating so I tried it too and liked it."

Most influential person in career	Her brother Cedrik Blais. (Athlete, 05 Dec 2019)
Hero / Idol	Canadian short track skater Kim Boutin, Russian short track skater Victor An. (speedskating.ca, 01 Apr 2021; Athlete, 13 Nov 2018)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began skating at age seven in LaSalle, QC, Canada.

Sporting philosophy / motto

"I try not to put too much pressure on myself, even though I am among the best skaters in my sport. I do a lot of personal work in order not to fall into a trap of performance anxiety. I put my insecurities and fears into perspective and try to enjoy every moment and have fun during the big competitions." (insquebec.org, 09 Feb 2022)

Training Regime

She trains at the Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal, QC, Canada.

www.facebook.com/danae.blais

Ambitions	To compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (cybersoleil.com, 13 Apr 2022)
Hobbies	Cycling, painting, drawing. (Instagram profile, 26 Sep 2021; speedskating.ca, 01 Apr 2021)

Name of coach

Sebastien Cros [national], FRA

Injuries

In September 2021 she suffered a concussion during training. Immediately after her recovery, she sustained a cut to her left ankle in a collision with another skater. She then also sprained her right ankle shortly after that. (insquebec.org, 09 Feb 2022; lapresse.ca, 25 Jan 2022)