Katerine Savard bows out

Retirement time has come for Katerine Savard. The curtain falls on a long career rich in accomplishments and success for one of the greatest swimmers in the history of Quebec.

The multiple international medalist retires from competition at the age of 31.

She has placed on podiums at the Olympic, Pan American and Commonwealth Games, as well as the World Championships. It glowed when the reflectors were brightest.

It happened quite naturally in a sense. This is where I was, with my background, my age, my studies which are finished. Having missed the Olympic team this year, I think that meant that I would turn the page perhaps a little more quicklyshe explains.

Katerine Savard takes great pride in her longevity among the elite of her sport. She had been a member of the Canadian team for 15 years.

I managed to perform through all these generations. I’m still proud of that too. I have known several generations of athletes during my career. And my resilience, because there were a lot of moments that weren’t necessarily easyretains the bronze medalist in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay at the Rio Games.

As much as those who came before me left a legacy, I left a legacy for the youngest who followed menotes Katerine Savard.

My background is rather atypical, I was not discovered in the swimming pool when I was young, I was not the best at the beginning, I started swimming quite late, I come from a small town, I don’t have anyone around me who plays sports, I’m 5’5″. These are all things that could have limited me in my career, but at the end of the day, I still got an Olympic medal.

If she could offer valuable advice to this young girl from Pont-Rouge who begins to swim, then to dream of the national team, of the Olympic Games, the new retiree would emphasize the many challenges that form a career.

I would prepare her for the fact that the journey is not always straight, but that this is normal, that we always get through it and that we must trust what is presented in front of usshe philosophizes.

Indeed, one of the highlights of his career is closely linked to this state of mind.

On a psychological side, in 2016, when I missed the Olympic qualification in the 100m butterfly, and 24 hours later I placed in the 200m freestyle, I understood something inside of me . I used mental strength I didn’t even know I hadshe remembers.

It could have gone either way. In the end, nothing happens for nothing, it’s still in this ordeal [au relais] that I had an Olympic medal. This is a turning point in my careerassures Katerine Savard.

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The Parisian disappointment

Katerine Savard experienced a heartbreaking setback last spring during the Olympic swimming trials, failing to qualify for the Canadian team that would compete at the Paris Games. She cherished the dream of becoming the first Canadian swimmer to participate in four Olympic events.

The freestyle and butterfly specialist had given herself the means to fulfill her ambitions to accomplish the feat.

In an effort to regain her comfort, shortly after the world championships in Doha, where she did not obtain the desired results, she decided during the winter to return home to join the Quebec Swimming Club and make a change. of coach. In vain.

A final participation in the Canadian Championships during the summer helped to alleviate his disappointment before eventually closing his sporting chapter.

I was still disappointed after the Olympic qualification, I didn’t want my career to end on a note like that and to have a little resentment towards swimming. I wanted to continue to finish a little more serenelyindicates Katerine Savard.

I was fueled so much by this kind of adrenaline, emotions, highs and lows that sport brought. I feel like it scares me that I won’t be able to find that again.she slips.

She will now concentrate fully on her vocation as a primary school teacher, as well as her new role as coach of young swimmers. Two avenues which enchant him for his post-sporting career, this unknown so often feared.

By helping children develop, I find a little bit of a flame inside me. I want to be passionate with them, to make them dream. I find a little bit of a desire to reach the next level, no matter how far they go. I find a kind of passion in that.