Ava Darbellay, a 14-year-old athlete from Lumsden, Saskatchewan, transitioned from perfecting her biathlon skills to training for luge, a sport she recently took up. Selected as one of the 100 finalists by RBC Training Ground, a talent search program by the Canadian Olympic Committee, Darbellay was invited to Calgary for intensive luge training despite having no prior experience in the sport.
Having always harbored Olympic aspirations, Darbellay embraced the opportunity to explore various sports by participating in the RBC Training Ground qualifier where she excelled in performance tests alongside over 2,000 young athletes. Her exceptional physical abilities caught the attention of luge coach Dania Obratov during the testing session in Regina.
Darbellay’s background in biathlon provided her with a solid athletic foundation, training rigorously at the Qu’Appelle Valley Nordic Ski Club. With aspirations of competing in the Olympics, Darbellay remains open to discovering her true sporting passion, with luge now a potential avenue.
As she heads to Vancouver for the RBC Training Ground national final, Darbellay faces the opportunity to secure funding and support for her athletic endeavors. Encouraged by her coaches and optimistic about her potential in luge, Darbellay remains committed to both biathlon and luge, navigating her newfound passion for the thrill of icy track descent.