‘Wow, this is real’: Langley BMX racer headed to Tokyo Olympics

LANGLEY (NEWS 1130) — She hasn’t packed her bags yet, but Langley BMX racer Drew Mechielsen is thrilled that she’s headed to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Mechielsen has known she’ll be competing for a few weeks, and the 23-year-old was named to Team Canada Tuesday. When she thinks about the reality of what lies ahead she gets goosebumps.

“When everything was announced and I had an overwhelming amount of people reach out to me and congratulate me, that’s when it really sunk in, like, ‘Wow, this is real,'” she says.

The first stop for Mechielsen and her teammates is training camp in Texas for 10 days, then it’s on to Japan.

For now, her focus isn’t on the possibility of finishing on the podium, it’s on trying to make the most of the experience, and competing in a way she can be proud of.

“I’ve heard many stories from people who have gone to their first games and have said that it was just such a whirlwind she says.

“I just want to go and be as prepared as possible and I want to be able to leave saying I raced my best that I could have raced. Right now I’m just kind of hanging out in the present.”

BMX racer Drew Mechielsen has two favourite Olympic moments:

• Crosby’s golden goal
• When @ABilodeau_ski won at Vancouver 2010

If she could only eat one food for the rest of her life it would be pizza

Learn more about Drew https://t.co/AEzK06ng1N pic.twitter.com/zH1PIRh0I5

— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) July 6, 2021

The International Olympic Committee and others are expected to meet this week to announce new restrictions because of the fast-changing coronavirus situation. On Monday, Tokyo confirmed 342 new cases, the 16th straight day of an increase. On Saturday, the capital reported 716 cases, highest in five weeks. At a meeting of government advisers, experts warned of the possibility of infections exploding during the games. In Japan, only 13.8 per cent of people are fully vaccinated.

Current COVID-19 restrictions mean there won’t be many in the stands. Mechielsen says she’s used to racing in sparsely populated venues, but will definitely miss having family and friends cheering her on.

“My Mom and Dad, they have been beside me, obviously from day one. They’ve been there through it all. I could not have done it without them,” she says.

While she doesn’t yet know the exact details of what COVID-19 protocols will be required for athletes, Mechielsen says she anticipates being limited to a “bubble” and the possibility of daily testing.

“I have full trust in the [International Olympic Committee] and the [Canadian Olympic Committee] in being completely safe, their protocols in place and the doctors that they have on board and everything,” she says.

“I’m honestly not concerned.”

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Mechielsen first got on a BMX when she was three years old, and started to dream of competing for Canada at the Games when the sport became an event in 2008.

Although winning a medal is not Michielsen’s main focus — naturally, the thought has crossed her mind.

“That would be a dream come true if this whole thing isn’t already a dream come true in itself,” she says.

And while she’s been training for a moment like this for years, there’s one thing she hasn’t done to prepare for the Games.

“Have I packed? Absolutely not. That is a day before kind of deal for me.”

Michielsen will compete on July 29 and 30.

With files from the Associated Press