Track cyclist recounts journey from truck-driving municipal worker to Olympic champion

EDMONTON (CityNews) ─ Kelsey Mitchell didn’t want to look back on her life with regret.

The resident of Sherwood Park, Alta., was driving a water truck for Strathcona County when she reflected on her life − where it was, and where it was taking her.

Four years later, Mitchell is an Olympic champion in track cycling and is being embraced by the country.

“You just don’t want to look back one day and be like, ‘what if?’ Or, ‘I should have done this,’” recounted Mitchell.

So she decided to change things up.

“I just decided to go all in on this,” she said. “I’m going to give it everything I have. Whether I make the team, whether I make the Olympics, I can look back and know I couldn’t have done anything else.”

The cyclist had always been an athlete. After her time playing university soccer ended, she was still drawn to athletics despite being uncertain about the next step in her life.

She began training for cycling − flying to Ontario to do it − where she was noticed by Team Canada. On Sunday, Mitchell claimed gold for Canada in the women’s sprint − the country’s final medal at Tokyo 2020.

The 27-year-old beat Ukraine’s Olena Starikova in two straight heats in the final. She won the first race by 0.061 seconds and the second race by 0.064.

“From a team sport to an individual,” said Mitchell. “I’m out there alone, one versus one. My best day versus their best day, and all the hard work we put in. Head to head. So it’s very stressful.”

WATCH: Olympic athlete Kelsey Mitchell returns home (Aug. 9)

The cycling champ received a hero’s welcome as she touched down at Edmonton International Airport Monday evening.

Mitchell says her road to the Olympics was even longer than expected, with the pandemic delaying the sporting event for an entire year.

“Canada was one of the first countries to say they’re not sending athletes if this happens, so we thought, ‘are we going to be watching the Olympics from our couch?’ And then when they got postponed, that was a relief.”

READ: Canadian athletes stay healthy and find success at Tokyo Olympics

With the Olympics now in the rearview mirror and the long journey back home complete, Mitchell says she’s just taking it all in − and loving her hard-earned medal.

“It actually hurts the neck,” she said. “I have it here beside me but it’s a heavy piece of metal. I don’t sleep with it like most people think I do. But it’s near me at all times.”

She believes she can serve as an example for others who may be putting their dreams on hold.

“Do what makes you happy and go all in if you’re trying something new.”