Training 'fell into place' for Yukon's Dahria Beatty at Olympics

Dahria Beatty is feeling pretty good about her performances so far at the Olympics.

"We always try to tailor training so that we're at our best in the season for an Olympics or for a world championships — and I think I've actually managed to do that this time," Beatty told CBC's Yukon Morning from Beijing.

"The training kind of fell into place as it was supposed to."

The 27-year-old cross-country skier — the only Yukon athlete at these Games — has been notching up some impressive performances, including a finish in the top 30 of the 15-kilometre skiathlon.     

She was also the top Canadian finisher in the 10-kilometre classic race, placing 18th — a career highlight.

"I was able to execute the plan I'd made for myself almost perfectly, which doesn't happen that often," she said.

"[It was] only my second-ever time in the top 20 in a distance race at the World Cup or Olympic level. So I'm super thrilled with that race. It couldn't have gone much better for me that day."

She's also extremely proud to have made it to the knockout rounds in the sprint freestyle race, reaching the quarter-finals with a top 30 result in the qualifying round, before finishing fifth in her quarter-final heat.

Beatty — along with Katherine Stewart-Jones, Cendrine Browne and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt — also had an impressive finish in the women's 4x5km relay this past weekend, coming ninth. That was Team Canada's best result in a women's cross-country relay since 2002. 

Beatty says she was "very excited" with their relay performance.

"Relays are a ton of fun, and you're representing so much more than just yourself," she said.

She has two more events to go — the team sprint event on Wednesday with teammate Katherine Stewart-Jones, and the 30-kilometre freestyle race on Sunday.

She says the team sprint is probably her favourite event, and their goal is to make the final.

Beatty is not as excited about the 30-kilometre race, which can be gruelling.

"That's kind of the equivalent of the marathon for us. And so it's a long one," she said.

"It's one of those races that is very satisfying and rewarding after the fact. In the moment, it is terribly hard. And it's a pretty tough and hilly course they've made here."

'Very likely' her last Games

This is Beatty's second time competing at the Olympics — she made her debut at the PyeongChang Games in 2018 — and it's "very likely" her last, she said.

"You never know, I might still be willing to be competing in four years' time. I might still be at the level that I need to be to be at the Olympics. But I think you always have to kind of take them one step at a time."

She says it's been a bit sad to not have family or friends in the stands cheering her on this time around. The upside is that it keeps her focused on the races.  

"But I would have loved to have my sister and my mom and my boyfriend here so that they could ... share in the excitement," she said.

Still, she's feeling the love from back home. She been getting "tons" of messages from fellow skiers, teachers, friends and other supporters in the Yukon. Every time she talks to her parents, they pass on messages of support from people they've met.

"It's always wonderful hearing from so many people back home and knowing so many people are cheering," she said.

"I know that the Yukon is proud of me, regardless of what the actual result is, which is really cool ... and I'm happy to be able to have some good results for them, as well."