Taylor’s dreams take flight
Hannah Taylor’s dreams became a reality today when she boarded a plane bound for the Olympic wrestling competition at the Paris Summer Olympics.
“I came from an Olympic family in the sense that we watched every Olympics that I can remember growing up and it was for all sports,” the 26-year-old Summerside, P.E.I., native said. “It didn’t really matter if it was the Summer Games or Winter Games or what sport it was, I was always watching it. My lifelong dream of being an Olympian started when I was four or five years old before I even knew what this sport was or what the work would entail to get here. I just knew I wanted to be an Olympian.”
Her fan entourage for Paris will number 15 including: her parents, Bonnie and Norman; her sister, Kaitlyn; three aunts; three cousins; an uncle; and, her two best friends from P.E.I.
“It is so incredible because it has been a lifelong dream and it is really cool that I get to bring my family to the Olympic Games, something they have been watching their entire lives. That I am the vehicle that allows them to watch it live is so awesome and it also feels great knowing they are excited about the process too.”
Like all high-performance athletes, the Brock Wrestling Club member needed mom and dad to help her reach the highest levels of her chosen sport.
“My parents are the most supportive individuals that I have ever met in my entire life. I was blessed to have them growing up, having them push me to where I am today and also being there to support me on days when I didn’t just want to be the wrestler Hannah Taylor. I wanted to be other things in life and they supported me the entire journey.”
Achieving her Olympic dream required plenty of work, sacrifice and internal and external motivation.
“I think the support network that I have is what pushes me. Every single day I have people messaging me saying they are so excited for me and that they are proud of me. Even individuals who I have never spoken to in my life are reaching out to me, supporting me and giving me words of encouragement,” the eight-time national champion said. “Coming from Prince Edward Island, it is a small province, I am representing them and I am now representing St. Catharines because it is where I have been for the past nine years. It is super inspiring and it gets me through the hard workouts and the long days because everyone is so proud of me and they know that I can do it.”
Her training partner in Paris will be her fiancé, Ligrit Sadiku, a former wrestler who won the last Olympic trials.
“It is incredible. He and I started wrestling together back in 2012 and we have been on this journey together from Day 1. Having him come to the Olympics with me as my training partner/fiancé/best friend and all the other hats he wears in the relationship is so amazing. It makes my performance easier because I have him getting me ready for the event and cheering me on the entire way.”
In her corner at the Games will be Brock coaches, Dave Collie and Marty Calder.
“Since I found out I have been going to the Olympics, I have been saying how everything has fallen into place in the way it was supposed to. Ligrit is coming as my training partner, Dave is coming as my coach and recently Marty said he is coming as my coach as well because coach Tonya Verbeek is being inducted into the hall of fame for United World Wrestling (in Paris). It is all the more special because she was one of my first international coaches and she is obviously my lifelong role model. It is the perfect scenario for me to do well because I have everyone who I would ever want there.”
Verbeek has provided some sage advice to Taylor.
“She told me to enjoy the process, keep my head down and work hard because that is all you can really do at this point.”
Taylor has lofty goals for her inaugural Olympics.
“I would like to make the podium and I think it is an incredible opportunity. I have the skillset, I have the tenacity, I have the coaching staff behind me, I have the support from around Canada and all I have to do is put things together and hopefully it pays off at the end.”
She’s most looking forward to walking out on to the Olympic wrestling mat for the first time.
“It is a very nerve-wracking feeling when they call your name and you have to make that walk up the stairs, pass the mats and look at your competitor once you see who it is. It’s a feeling that I will remember for the rest of my life because when I walk out on that mat I may only get one opportunity considering it’s a single-elimination format. I hope it’s an awesome moment followed up by an awesome performance.”
Her training leading up to the Games should help.
“Things are really starting to fall into place. My training, my training partners and my coaching staff all together have helped me make a switch in my wrestling. I am more confident, I feel like I am more technical and I am overall a better wrestler.”
Taylor is also different away from the mat.
“I am more confident in who I am as a person. The sport of wrestling is so hard and you put in so much and sometimes you get very little in return. It’s hard to see your growth but knowing I have went through this entire process and I am out the other end of going to the Olympics, I am more mature.”
Calder feels Taylor is in great spot as she prepares to make her Olympic debut.
“She has put a ton of work in and she has been all over the world starting with the qualification process.”
He believes she is a legitimate medal contender.
“She is in the thick of things but she is going to have to win some tough matches. She always has a good mindset when she goes to compete and sometimes you look at her and you think she is too relaxed. She handles that aspect very well but she is going to have to use everything she has learned in all the areas.”
Taylor has no plans to make this her only appearance at the Olympics. She will continue training at the Brock Wrestling Club for one more Olympic cycle.
“The only limitation on when my career would end is because I am from Prince Edward Island and I want to move back to Prince Edward Island. I want to have kids in Prince Edward Island and I want to be around my family. I would wrestle forever if that wasn’t a thing. We are taking it year by year and my entire family is very supportive.”
