Mark Oldershaw's love for outdoors key to canoeing success
Competes in C-1 1,000 on Monday
By Tim Wharnsby, CBC Sports
Mark Oldershaw certainly is open to the concept that one day his 11-month-old daughter Josephine will become a fourth generation member of the Oldershaw Olympic clan.
But Dad plans to let Josephine, born three months premature, find her own way. She doesn't have to follow the family business into a canoe. She will be allowed to play or compete in any sport, or pursue a completely different endeavour her heart desires.
"She can play whatever sport she wants," said Oldershaw, who competes Monday at 8 a.m. ET in the C-1 1,000 heats (cbc.ca/olympics, CBC Rio 2016 app, CBC TV). He has enjoyed fatherhood with his wife Annamay Pierse, a former Canadian Olympic swimmer and world record holder in the 200-metre breaststroke.
"It's been a hard, but special journey with her [being born premature]. It's given me a new perspective. I don't care if she's an athlete or a professor. I want her to do something she's passionate about."
Mark Oldershaw had a choice of his career path, too. His mother Connie made sure he and his older brother Andrew had every opportunity to participate in other sports.
But when your grandfather, two uncles and father all competed in the Olympics, you might conclude there would be some pressure to carry on the tradition.
That was not the case, however.
"I grew up at the canoe club, but my mom made sure we were well rounded and tried other sports.
"It's taken time for me to realize why I love the sport and I realize why I love the sport is I get to spend hours and hours outside, all day. You get to explore waterways that you don't even know are there."
Mark, a Carleton University English graduate, loves what the outdoors has to offer.
"Even in Oakville, our home base, it's such a nice stretch of water that most people don't even know exist," he said. "It's such a beautiful place that I get to be out there twice a day and spend hours on end.
"It's really our whole country. There are so many places in Canada to paddle. It's a good way to explore nature.
"I realized one day I'm lucky to be what I'm doing, not only to be able to pursue a sport that I love but to be outside every day. A lot of people are stuck inside in an office everyday. That would drive me crazy. Maybe I'll have to that someday, but right now I appreciate being able to be outside."
Tumour scare
There was a time when his outside pursuit was in doubt. After he won gold in the C-1 500-metre and C-1 1000-metre at the 2001 World Junior Championship, a painful non-cancerous tumour was discovered on his left hand.
The ailment has now completely healed and Oldershaw is pain free, but this episode was a difficult time.
"I had a great junior career and everything was going according to plan and then I suffered the hand injury that set me back, both physically and emotionally," the 33-year-old Oldershaw said. "I questioned myself as to whether I could go to the Olympic Games and compete at that level."
He persevered with the help and support of family and friends.
One of the good people turned out to be four-time Olympic medal winner Adam van Koeverden. Yes, he is a kayak sprinter and Oldershaw competes in a canoe. But they train together and follow the same program.
"It's been a great friendship and partnership," said Oldershaw, who was chosen last summer to be the Canadian flag bearer for the Pan Am Games in Toronto and then went on to win a silver in the C-1 1000-metre.
"We've been able to push each other. We're in different disciplines and different boats, but that doesn't matter.
"He's been such an inspiration because he has taken our sport to a whole new level in Canada and because of that everybody around him has been lifted up."