Rio profile: Liz Gleadle
Liz Gleadle is a 27-year-old thrower from Vancouver, BC.
Event: Javelin
Major: Kinesiology
Career highlights: gold at the 2015 Pan American Games, holds the Canadian National Record, and represented Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games.
How did you get your start in track & field?
By happy accident - in grade 8 gym class I was the only 1 to not get hit in the back of the head when trying to throw the javelin. So I decided to go out for the track team.
Most embarrassing sports moment?
Tripping and falling on my face at the London diamond league last year. Fortunately I was able to recover and throw 61m for 7th place.
Who is your role model?
All of my best friends. Every one of them has great characteristics. You have to surround yourself with people you can look up to.
Favourite spot on campus?
Wreck Beach
What's the most money you've ever spent drunkenly at McDonald's?
$4 10 years ago. I would normally just go home and make eggs and toast.
Most food you've ever eaten in one sitting?
Christmas 4 years ago. I out-ate my two older male cousins.
Turning point in your career when you thought "I could be good at this?"
When I finished 6th at World Youths.
What was your darkest moment as an athlete, and how did you get through it?
Getting hit in leg with a hammer in January of 2012. I began to think that I had moved to Lethbridge for nothing. I then woke up really sick the next morning, but crawled to training that day. A few months later, I ended up making the Olympic team.
If you were to do a winter sport, which one would you do?
Ski cross or snowboard cross. They look like fun.
Competing aside, what are you most looking forward to in Rio?
Hanging out in the village. It's such a cool place with a great atmosphere! Everyone is on the same page: it took a lot for them to get there, and it's just a great environment to be in.
