Karate-curling, badminton-weightlifting: take part in the Quebec Games in two disciplines

I train badminton on Mondays and Wednesdays, and weightlifting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s been a long week and, on weekends, I worksays Coraly Potvin with a smile when asked about the difficulty of practicing her two sports at a high level.

Member of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean delegation, the teenager is one of the rare athletes of the Quebec Games present for the nine days of competition.

While the rest of her badminton team packed up Tuesday after the first block of competition, Coraly instead stayed at the Convention Center with the weightlifting team.

There is not really a link between the two sports. I started badminton when I was younger. Then there I had a friend who does weightlifting who really wanted me to go and try it with her. I went about six months ago and enjoyed itsays the one who took 15th place in the badminton doubles event with her teammate Rosalie Guay, then 5th place in the clean and jerk at 49 kilograms.

Trained in speed skating

Managing to qualify for the Games in such a short time in weightlifting is particularly impressive considering that it is not enough to be at the top of your region. You have to meet certain standards.

The young athlete credits her strong legs, which she developed over eight years of speed skating, with helping her in her new sport. His trainer, Stéphane Houde, emphasizes his understanding of technical movements and his ability to learn.

From kata to brush

A member of the Côte-Nord delegation, Étienne Vallée is well placed to understand Coraly Potvin. It’s a lot of work. I know it well.

He also practices two sports which, at first glance, have nothing similar. After taking part in the karate event during the first block of the games, he was on the ice with his region’s curling team on Thursday.

There may be the endurance aspect which is similar when doing a kata and brushing in curling, but otherwise it’s completely different. They are two oppositeshe acknowledges.

He enjoys both sports for different reasons. In karate, what I really like is fighting. In curling, I would say it’s team spirit.

Which does he prefer? I can’t answer that. My coaches won’t be happyhe replies, laughing.