Sport Orillia will be holding their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, December 3rd, at 6:30 p.m., at the West Orillia Sports Complex.

‘The girls are so fast and technically skilled. It was tough racing with them,’ says Isabella Holmgren, who is already looking ahead to next Olympic.

Orillia’s Isabella Holmgren shone on the world’s biggest athletics stage on Sunday.

The talented and driven local cyclist, who was named Orillias 2023 Athlete of the Year, placed 17th this morning in the women’s cross-country mountain biking event at the Olympics in Paris.

While the ultra-competitive athlete always strives for the top spot, she told OrilliaMatters via phone from Paris after the event that she is proud of her effort in today’s race.

“I kept pushing the whole time and never gave up,” she said. “I’m happy about that.”

Early in the demanding seven-lap race, Holmgren says she had to “calm the nerves” as she battled the elements on the unique, gravel course.

“It’s definitely the biggest race I’ve ever done,” she said. “I’d say there were a few more nerves than usual.”

With 15,000 fans crowded around the course at Élancourt Hill — located about 40 kilometres from the Athletes Village — Holmgren says the atmosphere was like no other.

“The fans were crazy,” she said. “It was so loud the entire time.”

The 4.4-kilometre course was “quite different” compared to some of the World Cup courses where Holmgren has had success before.

“It was very man-made,” she explained. “I think a lot of Olympic courses are like that. It was definitely a different kind of racing for me.”

At 19, Holmgren was the youngest cyclist competing in today’s race. The event’s runaway winner, France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, by comparison, was competing in her fourth Olympic Games.

“The competition was the best in the world,” Holmgren said. “The girls are so fast and technically skilled. It was tough racing with them.”

Holmgren says she looks up to some of the fellow racers she shared the course with today. She hopes that racing with some of the top talent from around the globe will only make her better.

“Hopefully I can take everything I’ve learned from this experience and apply it to the next one to have a better performance,” she said.

Just hours removed from representing Canada at the Olympics today, Holmgren is already turning her focus to the next Summer Games in Los Angeles.

“I would really like to be back for another Olympics,” she said. “I know a bit more of what to expect now and I have four years to train even harder and dial in.”

In the crowd today, Holmgren had some of her friends and family cheering her on.

“That was so special,” she said. “My brother Max was here for the race which was so nice because he’s really busy with school and work. It was nice that he was able to be here.”

Back home, friends, family, and fans of Holmgren cheered her on from a watch party at Hardwood Ski and Bike in Oro-Medonte. She says the support kept her focused during the race.

“Knowing that they were back home watching helped me to keep pushing to the end when the race got hard,” she said. “It was really nice to know that they were all cheering and supporting from back home.”

Holmgren’s older brother, Gunnar, will take to the course tomorrow. He will compete in the men’s cross-country event tomorrow morning at 8:10 a.m.

“I’m so pumped to watch him,” she said. “He’s worked so hard and I’m excited to cheer him on and watch him race.”

Original Article By: Orillia Matters Staff
Site: Orillia Matters
Date: July 28, 2024
Link to Original: Link to Orillia Matters
Photo: Supplied Photos / Orillia Matters

‘Hopefully, it inspires some younger ones back home,’ says Gunnar Holmgren who developed his passion for mountain biking at Hardwood Ski and Bike.

Orillia’s Gunnar Holmgren hopes his Olympic debut in Paris will inspire local youth.

The skilled and motivated cyclist, who was named Orillia’s Athlete of the Year in 2021, placed 30th in the men’s cross-country mountain biking event at the Olympics in Paris this morning.

Holmgren, 24, says it wasn’t his best race, but he gave it his all.

“I definitely got 100 per cent out of the legs I had,” he told OrilliaMatters via phone from Paris after the event. “The experience was amazing.”

When Holmgren took off for his eight laps around the challenging 35.3-kilometre man-made Olympic course, he says the energy became “electric.”

“The French crowd is good at showing up to the bike races and encouraging all of the athletes,” he said, noting about 15,000 fans were packed around the course at Élancourt Hill, located about 40 kilometres from the Athletes Village. “It was really top-notch.”

Holmgren says the Canadian fans showed up for him in Paris today, including friends and family from back home in Orillia.

“I could hear them during every lap around the course in multiple spots,” he said. “I’m really thankful that they all made the trip.”

The fast course, full of technical passes, made for a challenging race. Holmgren said he could feel the loose gravel underneath his wheels at every turn.

“I had to be really focused the whole way around the course,” he said. “You could never really relax at any point which made it a bit challenging but made for some fun racing.”

Holmgren is used to racing against the toughest competition in the world. Most of the cyclists he was up against today, he races year-round.

“Not only the top guys, but everyone there is super dedicated,” he said. “They all sacrificed quite a bit to be there.”

While the result may not have been what Holmgren was aiming for today, he says it’s “pretty cool” that he can now call himself an Olympian.

“Hopefully, it inspires some younger ones back home,” he said, noting that he hopes to be back at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Local fans, family, and friends cheered on Holmgren this morning during a watch party at Hardwood Ski and Bike. He says having that kind of support is “special.”

“Hardwood is where I grew up riding my bike,” he said. “I have some amazing memories there. I’m sure one of the next Olympians for Canada is peddling their bike around there now.”

Yesterday, Holmgren’s younger sister Isabella placed 17th in the Olympic women’s cross-country mountain biking event. He says sharing the Olympic experience with his sister has been a dream come true.

“We are super proud of each other,” he said. “To have the whole family here has been really amazing.”

Original Article By: Tyler Evans
Site: Orillia Matters
Date: July 29, 2024
Link to Original: Link to Orillia Matters
Photo: Supplied Photos / Orillia Matters

Breakfast of Champions honours Orillia’s top high school athletes

Isabella Holmgren struck gold in the U23 women’s short track event and the cross-country event; she and brother Gunnar are gearing up for Olympics in Paris.

With just weeks to go before she represents Canada at the Olympics in Paris, Orillia’s Isabella Holmgren cycled to a pair of gold medals at the Mountain Bike World Cup at Les Gets France.

Holmgren won the U23 women’s short track event Friday evening and then repeated the feat Sunday morning when she won gold in the cross country race.

She is now three for three in the cross country event this season and undefeated in each World Cup she has entered this year; quite a feat for someone who is only in her first year of this category.

“It poured rain Saturday night and Bella rode a very mature, patient race, relearning the track that had become very muddy and slippery,” said the athlete’s mom, Lisa Holmgren.

Isabella’s brother, Gunnar, who will also be competing at the Olympics later this month, started further back but was able to work his way up to 36th in the elite men’s race.

“He put together a solid performance after a difficult first lap,” said Lisa Holmgren.

Ian Ackert of Severn Township scored his first European World Cup top 20, finishing 18th in the U23 men’s race after getting caught behind a crash at the start of the event that featured some of the world’s top cyclists.

Gunnar Holmgren will return to high altitude to finish preparing for Paris, while Isablla joins her Lidl-trek team at a training camp in Andorra to finish her Olympic preparations.

Original Article By: Orillia Matters Staff
Site: Orillia Matters
Date: July 8, 2024
Link to Original: Link to Orillia Matters
Photo: Supplied Photos / Orillia Matters

‘It’s been my goal forever,’ says elite local cyclist who is heading to the Olympics with her brother, Gunnar; Hardwood is hosting a watch party to cheer on the duo.

Orillia’s Isabella Holmgren is preparing to represent Canada in cross-country mountain biking at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris later this month.

Holmgren, 19, clinched her spot on Team Canada by topping the women’s podium at a recent World Cup race in Czechia. She was officially named to the team last week.

“I was super excited,” she said. “Gunnar, my brother, was also named to the team which added another level of excitement.”

Gunnar, 24, finished eighth in the men’s race at the recent World Cup race in Czechia.

“I don’t think it’s common for siblings to go to the Olympics together in the same year for the same sport,” Isabella said. “It’s definitely super cool.”

Isabella’s twin sister Ava is also an elite cyclist who fell just short of clinching the women’s Olympic spot.

“Ava is definitely a very big part of this,” Isabella said. “I wouldn’t be going into the Olympics if it wasn’t for all of her help and support. A lot of people don’t have a twin that they can train with every day and I’m super lucky to have that.”

Isabella, a ÉSC Nouvelle-Alliance graduate, began her competitive mountain biking career when she was nine. That’s when her dream of racing for Team Canada began.

“I think it’s the goal that everybody has,” she said. “It’s been my goal forever. It’s pretty cool that it’s happening sooner than I thought it would.”

Isabella, the Orillia Athlete of the Year in 2023, says she is looking forward to representing her community on the world’s biggest stage.

“I’m really excited to represent Oro-Medonte and Orillia at the Olympics,” she said. “They’ve been a big part of my journey to get here.”

Earlier this month, Isabella had the opportunity to pre-ride the Olympic track in France.

“It’s a super cool course with a lot of man-made features,” she said. “It’s not necessarily super different from the typical course, but it’s something new.”

While Isabella says winning a gold medal at the Olympics would be “pretty cool,” she doesn’t have a specific goal.

“I just want to go in and compete,” she said. “I just want to do the best I can do on the day.”

Earlier this month, Isabella finished first in the cross-country Olympic event at the U23 World Cup in Italy. She finished second in the short-track race.

“I was glad I was able to have a good performance on the day,” she said. “That gives me some confidence.”

Isabella credits her parents, siblings, the Ackert family and the community at Hardwood Ski and Bike for her success to date.

Hardwood is hosting an Olympic Watch Party where people are invited to cheer on the ‘home-grown’ mountain bike Olympians.

On Sunday, July 28, Hardwood’s watch party and breakfast will begin at 8 a.m. as Isabella goes for gold.

On Monday, July 29, also at 8 a.m., Hardwood invites people to cheer on Gunnar as he competes in the men’s cross-country event at the Paris Olympics.

Admission is free. However, unlimited pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs will be served with coffee and tea for $10 (pre-ordered) of for $15 if you pay at the door.

Original Article By: Tyler Evans
Site: Orillia Matters
Date: July 9, 2024
Link to Original: Link to Orillia Matters
Photo: Supplied Photos / Orillia Matters