For many athletes at the 2010 games in Sochi, medals are not their goal. Evidently, every athlete dreams of bringing home the Gold, but for some a variety of factors make that unrealistic. It does not mean that athletes drive is any less intense, they still want to perform to the upmost of their abilities. But when all is said and done and they are not at the top of the podium they are still content with their performance.
For Canadian Luger Mitchel Malyk, his goal in Sochi is to gain experience. He is the youngest male athlete of the record 221 Canadians in Sochi. As an 18 year old in his first season on the pro circuit, this is the only way one can attack an event of this magnitude. Especially one in which he has a very bright future. Everything he learns at these games will only help in future Olympics.
“Experience is huge in luge,” Malyk tells Last Word On Sports, “whether it’s having more runs down the track to being able to handle high pressure situations, nothing beats experience.”
He is getting the perfect dose of competition and pressure in Sochi, as Luge’s best put it all on the line on sport’s biggest stage. So far, he has handled himself very well, sitting second among Canadians in 27th place. Teammate and Olympic veteran Sam Edney leads the Canadian contingent in 10th.
In fact it is Edney who has been one of the most important factors in Malyk’s young Luge career, as the elder Canadian has shared his experience on countless occasions.
“I don’t think a day goes by on the circuit without [me] asking Sam for help on how to drive a track or set up a sled” Malyk says. “Without him I would not have the guidance and wisdom that has helped me come this far, and hopefully take me even further.”
Malyk, at 18, has already come an incredibly long way since he got his start in the sport at age 12. Surprisingly, it was his mother who originally asked him if he was interested in trying luge. Simply as a byproduct of the danger associated with luge it seems that most sons would have to beg their mother to allow them to participate. Malyk, a natural athlete who also played Rugby, Hockey and Football, decided to give it a try and was successful in his tryout.
“I liked the speed and they wanted me back,” said Malyk. “So I joined the program and I never looked back. Although if someone told me when I had joined I’d be an Olympian at 18 I would not have believed them.”
If he has accomplished this much in the past six years, it only seems likely that in the next six that development will continue. While this year the Olympics are all about gaining experience for Malyk, it is likely next time he will be putting that learning to practical use as he continues his assent to the top of the Luge world.
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