enJan 9, 2020

From left, Nathan Young, Emily Deschenes, Jaedon Neuert and Lauren Rajala are on their way to Switzerland to represent Canada at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. (Photo, Curling Canada/Nathan Blagdon)

From left, Nathan Young, Emily Deschenes, Jaedon Neuert and Lauren Rajala are on their way to Switzerland to represent Canada at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games. (Photo, Curling Canada/Nathan Blagdon)

YOUTH OLYMPICS ADVENTURE: Traveling to Switzerland

Jaedon Neuert is a 17-year-old curler from Winnipeg who will compete for Canada at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne, Switzerland, next January. This is the first in a series of stories where Jaedon will share his Youth Olympic Games experience from making the team to representing Canada for the first time in his career.

I’m sitting by my gate at the Winnipeg airport and about to go on a journey that still feels unreal. I’m off to Lausanne, Switzerland to represent Canada at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games.

Wow.

I never thought I’d get the opportunity to represent my country and to have that happen in just a few days’ time is a true honour and one I will never forget. I’m so excited about what’s to come during the event.

Just like any competitor, I’m feeling nervous as this is my first time representing Canada at a world event. For it to be at the Youth Olympics is just mind blowing for myself and my teammates Nathan Young, Emily Deschenes and Lauren Rajala. We’re ready thanks to a lot of support from the curling community, especially from Curling Canada and our coach Helen Radford.

We’re ready to go out and play for our first game against Russia on Jan. 10. I can’t wait to play in front of the crowds, but also know we’ll need to be at the top of our game. 

I’m excited to meet new people from around the world and to play with my teammates (and friends). I’m also looking forward to playing mixed doubles with a teammate from a different country – it will be a blast! 

The Olympics is like a massive Folkarama – a Winnipeg event in the summer that highlights the different cultures in the city at various pavilions – and I can’t wait to meet people from all around the world, talk to them and learn more about their culture.

Whenever someone asks me where I’m going for the Youth Olympics their reaction is always to tell me that I’m lucky, that the views are incredible and it will be an amazing time.

But of course, the first priority is to win a gold medal for Canada. This will be everyone’s goal, but I know that as long as we play well, we have a good chance to be where we want to be….on top of the podium.