Olympians use donation site to fund training
Julia Rivard didn’t win a medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Still, her performance was impressive.
Ms. Rivard, along with her three teammates, finished in ninth place in the women’s 500-metre four-person kayak event. For Ms. Rivard, who started paddling only four years before the Sydney Olympics, that result displayed promise.
When the games ended, she faced two choices: train hard and aim for a podium finish in 2004, or pursue a traditional career path.
“I felt pressure to start bringing in some dough. So I hung up the paddle and retired,” she said. “I always had some regrets about that decision.
“With more time, I really believe I could have gone to the top of the podium.”
That regret helped inspire Ms. Rivard’s most recent project: Pursu.it, a crowdfunding website that allows Olympic hopefuls (and other athletes) to seek funding from fans, supporters and ordinary Canadians.
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