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Richmond Olympian's mom primed for daughter's big debut

Shari Rogers said her star athlete daughter Camryn is pumped up and ready to give her all for Team Canada in Tokyo this Saturday
Alan Campbell
Alan Campbell

At around 5 p.m. on Saturday, Shari Rogers is going to be on the edge of her seat – or standing up – or pacing the room.

“I’m excited and anxious; I’m a parent after all,” Rogers told the Richmond News this week.

Her pre-occupation with a certain event this weekend is, however, utterly understandable – her daughter, Camryn, will be stepping into the net to throw the hammer for Team Canada at the Olympics in Tokyo.

Saturday evening sees the start of NCAA champ and Kajaks Track and Field Club alumnus Camryn’s event.

And, according to her mom, Camryn is having the time of her life and is pumped up and ready to give it her all in her Olympic debut.

“We’ve Facetimed a few times and been texting; she’s doing fantastic, she’s excited (and is) absorbing everything there,” said Shari.

“They just arrived at the Olympic Village yesterday; they’ve been at a training camp for a week outside of Tokyo.

“The facilities are amazing she said; it’s so huge. She’s training hard and staying very focused with her coach.”

Shari said Camryn – a McMath secondary alumnus who’s been shattering NCAA records for her U.S. college team, Cal-Berkley Bears – is “ready (and has) worked so hard and is confident.”

However, the day will, of course, be tinged with the sadness that Shari and the rest of Camryn’s family won’t be at the Olympics to cheer her on.

“It’s so disappointing that we can’t be there, you just need to look at the stands,” said Shari.

“They’ve got some fellow athletes and coaches cheering them on, so there is some noise I guess.

“We had tickets booked and everything and had to get refunds. It’s heartbreaking but it’s better than the athletes not going.”

Instead, explained Shari, she and about 20 friends and family are going to host a watch party at their local gym, World Champion, on No. 5 Road.

“They have big projection TVs and have access to all the channels, so we don’t miss it. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

 

CBC and TSN are showing the Olympics coverage. Best bet is to have them both at the ready around 5 p.m. (Pacific) this Saturday, in case only one of them is showing the hammer.

Still on the track, 50K racewalker Evan Dunfee takes to the circuit for his big push for a medal at around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 5 (Pacific)

Read his exclusive Richmond News’ blog from Japan here