From Summer Gold to Winter Thrills: Kelsey Mitchell's Olympic Evolution
When Kelsey Mitchell learned she had qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games, the news arrived as a profound surprise. Mitchell is no stranger to the Olympic stage—after being scouted through the RBC Training Ground initiative, she secured a gold medal in track cycling at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games and later competed in the Paris Summer Games in 2024. Yet, this upcoming appearance marks a significant departure: Mitchell will debut in the Winter Games, competing in the high-speed discipline of bobsleigh.
"It's slowly sinking in that I'm going to my third Olympics in a brand-new sport," Mitchell reflects. "Calling my parents to ask if they wanted to come to Italy with me was so cool." Last summer, as she contemplated retirement after eight dedicated years in track cycling, an invitation to a bobsleigh push camp altered her trajectory. This camp focuses on cultivating the explosive power and rapid acceleration essential for pushing and leaping into the sled before it hurtles down the icy track. Mitchell describes the experience as exhilarating, reigniting her passion for athletic competition. She committed wholeheartedly after just a single session.
Rediscovering Passion Through Bobsleigh
"It made me fall back in love with sport and being an athlete," Mitchell shares. "I've just had so much fun being with the girls and doing this crazy sport where you go 140 kilometres an hour down a track. It's a thrill for sure." This transition to bobsleigh represents a full-circle moment for Mitchell. Following her university-level soccer career and graduation from the University of Alberta, she believed her athletic days might be over. With ample time to ponder her future, she recalls, "and everything kept coming back to sport."
In August 2017, Mitchell participated in an RBC Training Ground event—a complimentary, nationwide talent identification and funding program aimed at uncovering young athletes with Olympic potential. Participants undergo a series of assessments measuring speed, strength, power, and endurance. Those who meet or surpass established benchmarks advance to sport-specific testing, with 35 athletes ultimately selected as RBC Future Olympians, receiving financial support from RBC to pursue their Olympic dreams with Team Canada.
A Serendipitous Path to Dual-Sport Success
Mitchell approached the event with an open mind, eager to continue as an athlete through rigorous training. Ironically, she initially tried out for bobsleigh but did not meet the sport's speed and strength criteria at that time. However, scouts from Cycling Canada, present at the RBC Training Ground, recognized her potential and invited her to explore track cycling, despite her lack of prior experience or even owning a bicycle. Fast forward to today, with two Summer Olympics and a gold medal to her name, Mitchell's opportunity to excel in bobsleigh has finally materialized. She notes that bobsleigh is a sport accessible later in life, and her eight years in track cycling have substantially enhanced her strength and power.
Now, Mitchell is poised to become the first RBC Training Ground athlete to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, joining an elite group of Canadian Olympians who have achieved this rare feat. "To be able to travel around the world representing Canada and being an athlete is a dream come true," Mitchell expresses. "I don't think it would have happened without RBC."
Emotional Milestones and Future Aspirations
Mitchell admits she still becomes emotional upon hearing the Canadian national anthem, which transports her back to the podium at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a gold medal adorning her neck for track cycling. She later discovered that friends and family back home were singing along in unison. "No other experience has topped that yet," Mitchell affirms. "It'll forever be one of the proudest moments of my life."
As she looks ahead to Milan Cortina, Mitchell is enthusiastic about competing alongside fellow RBC Training Ground athletes. Prior to the 2026 Winter Games, the program has propelled 28 athletes to the Olympics, with 12 earning a total of 14 Olympic medals. This year, 11 RBC Training Ground graduates—including seven first-timers—will represent Team Canada, such as bobsleigh teammate Mike Evelyn O'Higgins and aerial freestyle skier Marion Thénault.
Mitchell credits RBC Training Ground with transforming her life and urges young athletes with Olympic aspirations to attend one of their free events nationwide. "It's an amazing program and I hope more people get involved in it and it changes other people's lives, too." For those interested in testing their Olympic potential, athletes aged 14 to 25 can register for a complimentary event through the program's official website.
