Ottawa – Athletics Canada is excited to announce today that Jessica Smith of North Vancouver, B.C., will race in the women’s invitational 800-metres at the inaugural AC Indoor Open. Jessica was a semi-finalist in the 800-metres at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. With an outdoor personal best under 2-minutes (1:59.86), Jessica is one the best middle distance athletes in Canada.
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| 2012 Olympic Games |
AC: We’re excited that you’ve decided to participate in the AC Indoor Open. Being based out of British Columbia, have you had the opportunity to race or visit Montreal before?
JS: I am looking forward to my first indoor competition in Canada and my first visit to Montreal! It sounds like it will be a fantastic competition with a great atmosphere!
AC: You set an indoor 800-metres personal best last year in Seattle of 2:05.22, what are you and your coach focusing on this winter with your training so you can continue to improve?
JS: I am excited to race indoors again and set another personal best time! This winter I really focused on strengthening my weaknesses and concentrated on my running form so that I can be a more efficient runner. Additionally, I am always working to improve my racing strategies and gain even more experience at the highest level to prepare for 2016.
AC: After representing Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games you missed out on the World Championships last year by one spot. Looking back, what did you learn from the 2013 season and what are you most proud of?
JS: Not participating in the World Championships last year was definitely disappointing, but I continued to race to the best of my ability and still achieved the honour of representing Canada on two other national teams. I am most proud of my ability to return to international competition with the same strength and confidence that I had in the 2012 season, maintaining my second place ranking within Canada, and the continuation of performances at the 2-minute mark.
AC: People are always interested to hear how athletes balance the responsibilities of training and work. How do you manage your time and what kind of training set up do you currently have?
JS: I am training full-time and have continued to train with the SFU track and field team and alumni under the mentorship of Brit Townsend. I work in the Athletic Department at SFU part-time to help financially support myself and my passion in sport. I completed my undergraduate degree last spring and have no immediate plans to take more classes.
AC: What goals or events are you the most excited about in 2014?
JS: Each year there are new opportunities and experiences that are always memorable and exciting, but I am looking forward to continuing my progression to decrease my personal best time and look forward to hopefully competing for Canada again this summer at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
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| 2013 Canadian Championship & World Trials |
The 2014 AC Indoor Open will take place in Montreal, Que., March 14 – 16 at the newly renovated Centre Claude-Robillard. The event serves as a Canadian Championship for youth and junior athletes and will feature a number of Olympians and World Championship national team members in invitational events. For more information and to register for the inaugural AC Indoor Open visit www.indoors.athletics.ca.
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