CANMORE, Alta. - Olivia Bouffard Nesbitt and Remi Drolet have been added to Canada's cross-country ski team for the Beijing Olympics.
Bouffard Nesbitt, a 29-year-old from Morin Heights, Que., and Drolet, a 21-year-old from Rossland, B.C., were awarded the spots that were added to Canada's roster by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
"Getting this confirmation was a huge moment for me and, quite honestly, overwhelming validation of years of hard work," said Bouffard Nesbitt. “This journey has required patience and persistence through a lot of ups and downs, but the belief this was possible never wavered."
Bouffard Nesbitt was originally named first alternate after placing second in the skate-sprint qualifier before going on to finish third in the head-to-head heats earlier this month.
Drolet, one of the top young prospects on the men's side, earned his alternate spot following a second-place finish in the 15-kilometre classic cross-country ski race at the trials. Drolet skied the anchor leg on Canada's relay team that won silver at the 2020 junior world ski championships.
"When I found out I would be getting an Olympic spot I was overjoyed, and it was incredibly relieving," Drolet said. "Making it to Beijing has been a dream goal of mine for the past four years so it feels amazing to have achieved it."
The FIS distributes quota spots to each country based on their international rankings, and if a team does not use them all, the spots are reallocated to the next highest-ranking country.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2022.