Olympic Dreams: Canoe Sprint! Qualifying for Tokyo
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Hi everyone! My name is Ann Armstrong; and my goal is to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. I’m 24 years old, a sailor in the US Navy and a 2x member of the US National Team in the sport of Sprint Canoe racing.
Check out my blog here!https://armstrongpaddling.com/
The 2020 Olympics is the going to be the first time that women will compete in Canoe Sprint. It is the first time that canoe spring will have total gender equality- and I hope to be there. Canoe Sprint first debuted in 1936- and 84 years later Women will have the opportunity to compete in the C1-200 and C2-500m.
As a United States Sailor It gives me the greatest honor to not only serve my Country as a sailor, but to represent my Country on an International Stage.
For the past 2.5 years I have been training at the Washington Canoe Club, one of the most prestigious clubs in America. I have improved upon my overall best performances with a 9th place finish in the U-23 World Championships in 2017 and a Top 15 place in the 2018 World Championships, followed by a 4th place finish in the Pan American Championships this past fall. All working towards earning a qualifying spot for the USA for the 2020 Olympics. After receiving a taste of elite competition, I have no intentions of stopping. Still, while this had been an absolutely thrilling journey, it isn’t one I expected to be on.
When I was a little girl, I didn’t know I’d get to achieve these things. I didn’t know that my ultimate dream would be to represent the U.S. in the Olympic Games–let alone in Sprint Canoe.
I grew up playing sports, riding horses, and enjoying white water paddling. My love of the water and my country eventually led me to joining the Navy, and two years ago I was stationed in Washington D.C. where I joined Washington Canoe Club(WCC). The wonderful people at WCC introduced me to the sport of sprint canoe, a long-held tradition at the club, and I had to give it a try… to say it was a challenge would be an understatement! At 13-15 inches wide and 17 feet long, sprint canoes are nothing like the canoes I grew up paddling through white water. It took me months of hard work to master the balance required to keep the boat upright, and I’m still working every day at becoming faster–but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. The difficulty of the sport is what makes succeeding so exhilarating.
Thank you so much for reading and your support- please feel free to share, pass along to your friends or just follow along and enjoy the photos!
Check out my blog here!https://armstrongpaddling.com/
The 2020 Olympics is the going to be the first time that women will compete in Canoe Sprint. It is the first time that canoe spring will have total gender equality- and I hope to be there. Canoe Sprint first debuted in 1936- and 84 years later Women will have the opportunity to compete in the C1-200 and C2-500m.
As a United States Sailor It gives me the greatest honor to not only serve my Country as a sailor, but to represent my Country on an International Stage.
For the past 2.5 years I have been training at the Washington Canoe Club, one of the most prestigious clubs in America. I have improved upon my overall best performances with a 9th place finish in the U-23 World Championships in 2017 and a Top 15 place in the 2018 World Championships, followed by a 4th place finish in the Pan American Championships this past fall. All working towards earning a qualifying spot for the USA for the 2020 Olympics. After receiving a taste of elite competition, I have no intentions of stopping. Still, while this had been an absolutely thrilling journey, it isn’t one I expected to be on.
When I was a little girl, I didn’t know I’d get to achieve these things. I didn’t know that my ultimate dream would be to represent the U.S. in the Olympic Games–let alone in Sprint Canoe.
I grew up playing sports, riding horses, and enjoying white water paddling. My love of the water and my country eventually led me to joining the Navy, and two years ago I was stationed in Washington D.C. where I joined Washington Canoe Club(WCC). The wonderful people at WCC introduced me to the sport of sprint canoe, a long-held tradition at the club, and I had to give it a try… to say it was a challenge would be an understatement! At 13-15 inches wide and 17 feet long, sprint canoes are nothing like the canoes I grew up paddling through white water. It took me months of hard work to master the balance required to keep the boat upright, and I’m still working every day at becoming faster–but I wouldn’t change a thing about it. The difficulty of the sport is what makes succeeding so exhilarating.
Thank you so much for reading and your support- please feel free to share, pass along to your friends or just follow along and enjoy the photos!
Organizer
Ann Armstrong
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
