The Olympics offer countless moments to marvel at the incredible athletic abilities of its participants.
For Nigel Emblin, one achievement has always stood out above the rest.
As the world’s top athletes vied for supremacy in the Winter Games, a young, aspiring speed skater sat captivated in front of his TV. With a mix of amazement and determination, he watched the sport’s elite navigate corners with high-speed precision.
The sight of skaters leaning into the ice and using their hands for balance left a lasting impression.
“I always wanted to do that,” recalled the now 18-year-old from Milton. “Getting fast enough to do that was a big goal of mine.”
Since first stepping onto the ice at the age of four, inspired by his older brother Isaac, Nigel has been chasing speed skating success. Today, he trains in Calgary as part of the 40-member Short Track National Oval Elite Athlete Pathway program.
It’s the latest chapter in his journey, which began as the youngest member of the Milton Speed Skating Club. There, “patient coaches” quickly recognized his potential.
Often competing against older skaters, Nigel also benefited from the stamina built through Muay Thai training. He claimed his first regional victory at age 10 in London, and his trajectory has only soared since.
Now ranked first among Ontario’s junior skaters, Nigel has slashed his personal bests to impressive times: 43.9 seconds in the 500m and 2:22 in the 1,500m, the fastest in the province.
“My progress over the past couple of years has been better than a lot of top juniors,” said Nigel, who is also pursuing electrical engineering at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Recently, he placed third in the 500m at Calgary’s Western Elite Circuit, defeating several skaters with more national-level experience.
“I’ve always been explosive at the start, and all that Muay Thai running helped with my endurance. In Calgary, the technical advice is much more refined and precise. It’s been amazing to learn the body mechanics behind skating.”
With aspirations of joining the junior national team, Nigel aims to shave even more time off his key events, targeting a sub-2:20 in the 1,500m within the next year.
Next on his journey is the Canadian Junior Short Track Open, scheduled for January 11–12 in Prince George, B.C.
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