From cycling to speed skating, Saskatoon’s Veeman finds a niche at the Canada Games

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Saskatoon’s Luca Veeman is snug on each wheel and blade, and on summer time street and winter ice.

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He’ll be the flag bearer for Group Saskatchewan on the upcoming Canada Winter Video games in Prince Edward Island, earlier than taking a medal shot in velocity skating. A number of months in the past, he competed on the Canada Summer time Video games in biking.

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He sees the skating aspect as his future — Veeman is an Olympic hopeful — however the two sports activities, as totally different as they’re, complement one another properly.

“The coaching for velocity skating contains lots of biking, weightlifting and dry-land in addition to a skating,” Veeman stated this week. “The summer time of biking has actually helped me, particularly with my base health going into this skating 12 months. I can change my coaching so I’m doing quite a bit much less base health hours in comparison with most skaters, and I can focus in on the skating itself much more.

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“On the psychological aspect, it’s actually good to change up between the sports activities, and have my skating time, after which be capable to change my focus.”

The Video games run Feb. 18 to March 5 at venues throughout Prince Edward Island. Saskatchewan is competing in all 20 sports activities. The provincial group contains 317 folks, together with 217 athletes.

Veeman, 17, will lead them out on the opening ceremonies, flag in hand. He did a convention name with reporters this week from Germany, the place he’s touring with fellow Canadian skaters — a junior world cup final week, and the junior world championships arising.

“One factor that stands out (from the Summer time Video games) is seeing the flag bearer, and it type of caught in my mind — like, that will be a cool place to have,” Veeman stated.

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“I wasn’t actually positive how a lot of a shot I had when my coach informed me he was going to appoint me, however I’m very proud to have the ability to signify Saskatchewan on this method. I’m excited to see what Saskatchewan can do on the Video games, and I’m very proud to be strolling into the Video games, type of main the pack.”

Regina’s Mark Bracken, Saskatchewan’s Chef de Mission, talked this week about what makes the Canada Video games particular, whereas mentioning that greater than 60 communities from the province are represented on the group.

“In my view, it’s quite a bit totally different than them going to a single-sport competitors,” Bracken stated. “Loads of them have achieved that since they had been 5, six, seven years outdated — one other hockey match or one other curling bonspiel.

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“This actually is Canada’s model of the Olympic Video games. Opening and shutting ceremony, staying in an athlete’s village, being a part of an even bigger group and carrying the inexperienced proudly, with 20 totally different sports activities, representing your province. Actually memorable alternatives for these children.”

Veeman, in the meantime, is aware of he has a shot to medal at these Video games, whereas competing towards lots of the athletes he’s at the moment touring via Germany with.

He makes a speciality of distance races, notably the 1,500, 5,000, mass begin and group pursuit.

“I wish to convey house a medal in (all) 4,” he stated. “However that’s not a make-it or break-it for me. Specializing in the medals solely will get you up to now. You’ve received to concentrate on the way to get these medals, and the method in the direction of it.”

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