For Canadian athletes arriving in Rio de Janeiro with high hopes and tense nerves, Canada House is meant to be a comfortable getaway with reminders of home.
The 20,000 sq. foot former athletic club includes hand-painted canoe paddles, a museum filled with tidbits of Canadiana and even a bobsled simulator.
Canada House will be a gathering place for Canada鈥檚 314 athletes and their families during the Olympic Games, which kick off Friday with the opening ceremonies. As for sleeping quarters, many athletes are staying in the , located in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood, or in hotels.
Governor General David Johnston formally opened Canada House on Thursday in an honourary ribbon cutting. A former hockey player for Harvard University, Johnston spoke with 麻豆传媒 about the personal benefits of being an athlete.
鈥淚t's realizing what one鈥檚 potential is and pushing somewhat beyond it, and these lessons, I think, carry on into other aspects of life,鈥� Johnston said.
The governor general praised Canada鈥檚 female Olympians, who make up more than half of Team Canada. Johnston also spoke out against doping, which has become a hot-button issue in the lead-up to the Games as dozens of Russian athletes were banned from competing.
鈥淥ur Canadian traditions are very, very clear on the importance of an equal playing field, a fair playing field. So doping has no place in sport at any level,鈥� he said.
Canada House will be a hub for Canadian athletes to celebrate their achievements throughout the games. This year, Team Canada has its sights on a top 12 finish with a hopeful medal count of at least 19.
As for the athletes themselves, several shared tricks they鈥檙e using to cope with the pressure ahead of Friday鈥檚 opening ceremonies.
鈥淚 do a lot of yoga. So last night I was doing it on the balcony, and I鈥檓 probably going to be doing it every night,鈥� said Canadian fencer Eleanor Harvey.
Rower Pascal Lussier said, 鈥淚鈥檓 just going online, playing games, talking to my roommate, which is my teammate as well, and just eating good food at the hotel.鈥�
For fencer Joseph Polossifakis, the trouble will be finding a way to capture all the special moments before they flash by.
鈥淭o have my parents and family there in the stadium is going to be a really unique and special moment,鈥� Polossifakis said. 鈥淭he hardest thing I鈥檓 trying to figure out right now is how I鈥檓 going to film it all.鈥�
With a report from CTV鈥檚 Omar Sachedina in Rio de Janeiro
