Marion Thénault |The girl who makes Flips |The press

L’année 2021 a été renversante, à tous points de vue. Pour Marion Thénault, la dernière année a été celle de la grande éclosion, pendant laquelle l’inconnue qu’elle était est devenue le nouveau visage de son sport.

At the age of 21, Marion Thénault has probably lived the most busy year in her life.In addition to initiating her studies in aerospace engineering at Concordia University, the acrobatic skier specializing in the jump test, Aerials, concluded her first year on the World Cup circuit.She finished third in the general classification, she won the title of recruit of the year and she also qualified for her first Olympic Games.

A first season which imposed a record at the turn of the new year, because everything went so quickly.

The Sherbrookeoise has done gymnastics for 14 years.At the age of 17, she signed up for the RBC recruits camp, which served as a showcase for young Canada athletes who dream of going to the Olympic Games.Thénault then stood out by an acrobatic ski trainer.She did not know too much, at that time, what was the test of jumps.So she discovered a sport and a universe in which she wanted to dive head first, without knowing what it involved.She became a member of the national team in 2020, and barely two years later, whenever she is at the top of the track, she has a chance to win.

Marion Thénault is one of Canada's best hopes in Canada and she knows.There are several steps to climb to become an elite athlete, but Thénault climbed the stairs two by two.This is what allowed him to climb the podium several times and to compete with opponents who have been practicing this sport for decades.

Since the start of the 2021 season, she has been able to rank among the five best skiers 8 times in 15 competitions.A trend that does not lie, in this sport where everything is a question of details.By finishing the season in the world in the world, the skier imposed a standard, which she herself did not believe that so quickly.

Achieving such a level of excellence when we ignore the very existence of sport at the start of the Olympic cycle is not commonplace.Except that Marion Thénault is far from being an athlete like the others.

While she has a smile hanging on the face throughout the interview, the passion and the love she has for her sport is no doubt.Her reaction is unequivocal when asked if she realizes what it means to occupy such a position in a global classification: "Well yes ... but frankly ... yeah no", before laughing.A laugh that hides both humility and pride.

"We don't really talk about it [the rankings], it happened and that's it," said Marion Thénault, at home, in Estrie.I want to be in the top 3, that's where I visualize myself, but I know that I still have so many things to do in my sport.I have reached a certain level in four years, but I know that in the next cycle, I can reach a completely different level.Yes, I'm in the best, but still there, personally, as a athlete, I still have a lot of journey to do, so I don't see it as an end in itself.»»

The new face of acrobatic skiing

The jump test is not the most popular or the most publicized.On the other hand, things tend to change with the successes of a champion like Thénault.The World Cup was back at the Le Relais ski center in Lac-Beauport, at the beginning of January.The young athlete feels that she has the responsibility to grow her sport, especially at home, and there are different ways to get there.Like winning the silver medal.What she did.In addition to giving time to the media and young athletes who came to encourage him.

She is also delighted to note that the number of registrations for young girls is up to the RBC recruits camp.According to her, it is a sign that does not lie.It’s also an additional reason to tell your story.

However, she confides that this competition in the relay was without the shadow of a doubt one of the most stressful moments of her young career.She receives so much love and support from the acrobatic ski community and supporters that she didn't want to disappoint anyone.That's also it, Marion Thénault.

Privileged and grateful

The year we have just experienced was painful for a lot of people.This is why one of the first things she named by taking stock, it is how lucky she was to be able to do what she loved the world most, to practice her sport and to travelaround the world.

And even if, sometimes, everything is not going as she would like, Marion Thénault has easy happiness.An athlete that everyone would like to have as a teammate, or even as a rival, but before and after the race.Never during.

Even if lately she put herself a lot of pressure on her shoulders and the extent of the competition may have had the upper hand over the pleasure she has to compete, Thénault quickly recovered: "I want to keepThis joie de vivre that allowed me to go where I am today.»»

Marion Thénault saw a dream.A dream she never wishes to wake up.

"I can't believe it every time.I am an athlete and my job is to make flips.I am paid to make Flips, it's incredible!It’s really nice and I’m very grateful.In the context of the pandemic, everyone was affected, it was difficult for so many people in so many areas, and we were able to continue to practice our sport, to travel, to competition, how not to be inBe grateful and feel privileged?That’s why I have to make the most of it.»»

At 21, Marion Thénault will live her first Olympic experience in a few days.Between distance lessons, flips and the craze of games, she will certainly find time to laugh, and smile.Taking advantage of the present moment will not be too complex for her.Showing the full extent of his talent to the whole world should not be either.

Between dream and naivety

During the last Olympic Games, Marion Thénault watched the test of acrobatic jumps on television with one of her teammates.She hadn't even made her first jumps on the snow yet.In a few days, she will be on television.

By thinking about it, this moment left her a little puzzled.On the one hand, because she found the spectacle and the athletes impressive.On the other hand, she did not realize what it involved, to go to the Olympic Games.Everything was so new at the time.

Obviously, the dream of participating in the Olympic Games died in it for a long time.This is among other things that she participated in the RBC recruits camp.However, she arrived in this adventure at 17 with a lot of naivety, she admits.

A raw diamond like Thénault does not need to be polished for a long time.With natural talent like hers, Sherbrookeoise quickly became one of the best in Canada.Then it’s the whole planet that discovered it.Quickly, she was told that she had the potential to believe in a participation in the 2022 Olympic Games. Then, in a chance of a medal.

It is obvious that by ending among the five better classified one world cup in two since the start of his career and ending third in the general classification last year, in his season as a recruit, expectations are raised towards21 -year -old skier.

However, she thinks she is able to ignore it.The naivety with which she arrived on the circuit will probably have been the key to her success: "It was almost a force.I never blocked myself, I never said that I was not going to be up to the task or that I did not have enough experience to fulfill my goals.I knew I was capable, it happened quickly, but I need that, I love it.»»

The chances that Thénault is on the podium in Beijing are high.No Canadian has won an Olympic jump medal on jumping from Veronica Brenner and Dionne, who respectively won money and bronze at the Games of Salt Lake City in 2002. At the time, Marion was 1 year old.

Sufficient and thoughtful preparation

Her start to the season was a little more complicated than she would have hoped.However, in mid-December, she started to chain the good performances with four top 5 in four races, including a silver medal in the Le Relais ski center, in Lac-Beauport, to punctuate its Olympic preparation.

"I find that I jump better than last year," she said.

Now, it only remains for him to follow his plan and to compete at the height of his preparation, his training and his talent: "Technically, I have already done all the work I had to do to beReady for games.I will not revolutionize my jump in three weeks.Everything is there and the goal is to arrive as confident as possible.My goal is to make the best jumps that I am able to make and I think I will really be at the desired level returned to the Olympic Games.»»

After winning the silver medal at the relay World Cup, Thénault and her team made the decision to move away from the action.

It is obvious that she would have liked to continue on her momentum, but the skier is at peace with her decision.This is largely the propagation of the Omicron virus which convinced Thénault to stay away, to limit as much as possible the risks of having a positive test just before the games.Thanks to her magnificent first season last year, she only needed a top 12 this season to automatically qualify for the games, which she managed to do in the first race of the season.

As Thénault pointed out, there are so many uncontrollable factors, such as COVVI-19 and injuries.Athletes may be in the best form of their lives, be ready, qualified, just a positive test to watch games on television."It really doesn't tempt me.So we focused on rest, preparation and remove the stress of contracting the virus.»»

Look forward

In a few days, when she is in China, at the top of the track, her arm in the air as a starting signal, nothing that Marion Thénault will have accomplished.Neither his third place in the world ranking, nor his title of recruit of the year, nor its victory at the Almaty World Cup."Eighty percent of the jump takes place in the head, so the goal, arriving at the games, is to be confident, not being afraid and feeling in great shape, because my physical condition will have aBig impact on my mental state, ”she said.

In short, everything goes both very quickly and very slowly.This is the paradox experienced by Marion Thénault.Especially since she knows that she will realize her dream of participating in the Olympic Games.She knows that she is among the contenders, that millions of people will look at her.She is aware of the effect that an Olympic medal could have on the rest of her career and for her sport.It only remains to jump.

Nevertheless, for the aerospace engineering student at Concordia University, everything is normal.His daily life remains the same ... for the moment.In just a week, her life will be changed forever, since she will be an Olympian forever.

"I'm not sure to realize it yet, but I like it, being in this naivety.»»

Everything has fallen timely for Marion Thénault since 2017, when she enrolled in the RBC recruits camp.From Sherbrooke to Beijing, she crossed each step with determination and smile.This is the story of an earth girl on earth, who nevertheless marks spirits in the air.