March 24, 2010 (Copenhagen, Denmark) – The Canadians are making an impression as the final days of practice finished on Tuesday at the 2010 Track World Championships in Copenhagen. Other countries have commented on the size and strength of the Canadian Team, including a British website that remarked on the “resurgent track program in Canada.” The staff, athletes, and national organization have been working hard, the pressure is on, and the athletes are ready to rise to the occasion.

The pressure has been building all year, from the training camps, to the Cali World Cup in December where they won two silver and one bronze medal, to the Beijing World Cup in January were they won two gold and two bronze medals, to the pre-Worlds camp in Apeldoorn last week – and now the Track World Championships. The athletes have maintained their focus and achieved a personal best almost every time they have raced this season and have set new Canadian records at each event.

The athletes feel prepared and are supported by the staff who are in Denmark, as well as the people back home who have helped them get to these World Championships. After a recovery day, except for Zach Bell who pushed through hard efforts on the track on Monday, each rider stood up and offered a 30-second motivational speech. “If you look back four years ago, no one would have expected to see us where we are now,” said Monique Sullivan. “If we keep doing what we’re doing we’ll do great things.” The sentiment was shared by all the athletes who expressed that “all we have to do now is race.”

The last day of training had all the athletes on track for hard efforts, and they’re looking strong, confident, and ready to perform. Day one of competition on Wednesday has the Canadian athletes competing in all the events. Tara Whitten will be up first in the women’s individual pursuit qualifier, Monique Sullivan will race next in the 500 meter final, then Joseph Veloce, Travis Smith, and Stephane Cossette in the team sprint qualifier, followed by Zach Bell in the points race final. Travis Smith, who has been posting great times all week in training, proclaimed racing “is the fun part!”