Water is so much a part of our daily lives that we take it for granted. But at some point, many people have a once-in-a-lifetime ‘aha’ moment when they realize how precious water is. Maybe they were travelling in Australia and saw how droughts have devastated crops and livestock. Maybe they have relatives who got sick during the Walkerton, Ontario water crisis. Maybe it was a quiet moment on a still lake at the break of dawn. Maybe they saw something on TV about water pollution in China, or read an article about water shortages in Africa. Maybe their water isn’t safe to drink and they have to boil it.
We asked the RBC Olympians why they care about water, and if they had a moment when they realised how important water is. Scroll through the stories below to see why your favourite Olympian cares about water!
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Jared Funk
RBC Olympian
Wheelchair Rugby
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An Olympic wheelchair rugby player, Jared has won two Paralympic Games medals – silver in Athens 2004 and bronze in Beijing 2008.
As a Paralympian, I know water is as important a tool in my arsenal as my rugby chair. Without water I could never stay hydrated throughout the game, or regulate my core temperature so that I don’t overheat.
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Kevin Rempel
RBC Olympian
Ice Sledge Hockey
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Kevin Rempel is an ice sledge hockey player. Having won the World Sledge Hockey Challenge in 2011, his next goal is to represent Canada at the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
For the first time in my life I just went to Mexico – one of the hottest vacation spots on the planet.
I have heard about the beautiful weather, sandy beaches and clear water. It wasn’t until I was actually there that I realized the clear water was meant just for swimming in, not for drinking.
Everywhere I went I had to carry a bottle of water and, if water was handed to me in a glass, to be cautious of where that water originated. I’m so used to not having to worry about this sort of thing at home.
Initiatives like the Blue Water Project have so much more importance to me, now that I have experienced places with poor water treatment systems. I think everyone should have access to clean drinking water and not have to worry about getting sick when they sing in the shower.
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Caroline Ouellette
RBC Olympian
Ice Hockey
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Caroline Ouellette is a three-time Olympic Ice Hockey gold medalist. She won the gold medal in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
I realized how much I took water for granted when I visited Benin in Africa with the Right to Play organization, as part of their athlete ambassadors program. Most people there do not have access to water they can drink safely. Many people in Benin work long hours on the streets, selling all kind of things in order to buy food supplies and water packed in small plastic bags. Coming back from Africa, I realized how lucky I was to have access everywhere to drinkable tap water. I also made a commitment to use reusable water bottles and, as much as possible, to stop consuming water from plastic water bottles.
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Valerie Hould-Marchand
RBC Olympian
Synchronized Swimming
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Valerie’s 15-year career in competitive synchronized swimming was filled with athletic accomplishments, notably a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games.
As a retired synchronized swimmer, I've always felt a special
connection to water. I practice a variety of outdoor activities – including open water swimming – and I often witness the devastating effects pollution has on water. I am extremely
passionate about raising awareness about this critical environmental issue. Every day, I take action by “living blue”. I want to do everything in my power to protect and conserve Canada’s water resources.
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Clara Hughes
RBC Olympian
Cycling, Speed Skating
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A six-time Olympic medalist in cycling and speed skating, Clara Hughes is the only athlete in history to win multiple medals in both Summer and Winter Games.
THE CUP
The desert of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico has some of the best-tasting water I’ve ever had. Straight from a roughly dug well, water comes via a bucket, hauled up by rope. I’ve had this water on numerous occasions on small ranches, while traveling on my loaded touring bicycle. In remote areas well off the paved road, there’s no other way to get water than to approach the friendly, shy ranchers. My husband told me about his experiences when he walked through Baja years ago. Sure enough, I had the same encounters when we went together on bikes. Only the desert dweller can truly appreciate the miracle of clean water. These ranchers value their water like we value our cars and homes. If you’re accepted by them, you're invited out of the scorching sun into the cool shade of their dirt-floored, open air living area. They take a communal cup off a nail and dip it into a large ceramic vase and pass it to you – "agua pura y dulce" or "water pure and sweet". And it is exactly that – the cleanest, best-tasting water I’ve ever had. My husband calls this getting the offer of The Cup. Drinking from The Cup of these humble people makes the water taste even better. It beats any chlorinated water north of their border.
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Benoit Huot
RBC Olympian
Paralympic Swimming
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Benoit is an accomplished Olympic swimmer and medalist, and has won 8 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze medals at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Paralympic Games.
Water is so important to me, my entire life revolves around it! Without water, I would never have had the chance to grow into the person I am today. As a Paralympic swimmer, I train more than five hours a day in a pool filled with water. It goes without saying that water is undoubtedly the most important element of my life. I managed to realize my dream of competing in the Paralympic Games because of water. From an early age, my goal has been to swim as fast as possible in water. Practicing swimming over the past 20 years, I’ve had a special bond with water. I am very conscious that we must take care of our water. I have had the privilege of traveling around the world and visiting five different continents. It is in seeing the world that we realize how lucky we are in Canada to have access, almost anytime, to pure and clean water. In many places around the world, it is not always easy to find safe drinking water. We must continue to take care of our water for future generations, so that everyone can have access to water that is clean and safe.
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Vicky Leblanc
RBC Olympian
Softball
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An inductee of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in 2009, Vicky has had a softball career filled with highlights including competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Recently, I was in India for month-long training. After two weeks of living on a beautiful resort, I saw a colleague watering plants outside her hut. I asked why she was doing this, as gardeners worked the grounds daily. She revealed to me that water was transported into the resort several times per day for us, because of its scarcity in India. I had no clue. Immediately, I began managing water differently. First, I began watering myself down in the shower, rather than letting the water run over me during my entire bathing time. I poured water into my water bottle consciously, ensuring I needed all I took. I appreciated the water I was able to have and use in abundance, knowing that people outside the resort struggled for water daily, just a few feet away from where I was living that month.
I could not stop wondering what the employees at that resort must have thought of the negligent attitudes of visitors towards water consumption. Personally, I tended to think water was unlimited and to forget it was not available to all. Life with limited amounts of water? Now that is a scary thought.
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Brady Leman
RBC Olympian
Ski Cross
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A member of the 2010 Canadian Olympic Team competing in Ski Cross, Brady was a silver medallist at the 2011 Ski Cross World Cup, and finished the 2010 ranked 22nd in the world.
"Every summer growing up, I was lucky enough to spend some time at the family cabin on Lake of the Woods in Kenora, Ontario. Lake of the Woods is a beautiful place in Northern Ontario, with thousands of islands, amazing scenery and tonnes of recreational opportunities on the water. I would spend every summer swimming off the dock, fishing, boating – all of the amazing summer activities that go along with being at a lake. Over the years, we have seen algae growth increase steadily at Lake of the Woods. It wasn’t until I got a little bit older that I learned the negative effects algae can have on a water ecosystem. With Lake of the Woods being such a big, fun and memorable part of my childhood, the health of that lake is very important to me. My family and I have taken several measures to try to protect the lake – such as being extra careful to ensure no soaps wash into the lake – to try and ensure that Lake of the Woods remains healthy for years to come."
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John Hastings
RBC Olympian
Canoe/Kayak - Slalom
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A member of the Canadian National Kayak Team, John finished 12th in the 2011 World Cup overall rankings, and has been an RBC Olympian for three years.
As a member of the Canadian National Kayak Team, I have had the unique opportunity to travel the world and witness first-hand the many struggles associated with the world’s supply of fresh water. Whether it is due to pollution or receding water levels in rivers and lakes, clean fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce. My passion for kayaking and my goal of Olympic excellence were fostered by the rivers and lakes around the world. To see them disappear would not only be devastating to me, but also to the various communities that I have had the privilege to live in. My livelihood is on the water. It is where I have had my greatest triumphs and most devastating failures. Ultimately, and perhaps most importantly, water is what will take me to the Olympics.
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