Remarks collected by Jean-Michel Lachance
Traducted by Timothy Demerjian

Can you describe us how your season has been so far? Does your summer training go well?

I had a very good summer of training. I was at an optimal level of physical preparation, unequalled until now. According to me, my physical shape was far over what I have had in the past years and this also in regard of my opponents and teammates--the tests revealed it. However, I think I have neglected the psychological aspect. In short track speed skating, a big part of the competition is done in the head. I believed with twists that my excellent shape would put myself in a good position in regard of others competitors. While arriving at chicoutimi for the Olympic short track selection, ice conditions were very different to what we were accustomed to in training. I started to have difficulty, and by this fact even, to doubt my capacity. It is in my opinion that which cost my place on the Olympic team. In addition to that, I fracture a bone of the right hand, following a frustration of race (blow of fist in picture window). Not good! Because I continued the competition with a plaster, I was disorientated technically. Towards the end of the competition, I also underwent a dislocation of the left shoulder, which put to me definitely out of the competition.

It is obvious that I was very disappointed of this situation. But here, in Canada, there are really many men who can hope to make the team. We would have made the selection on a different weekend and we would have had a different composition. However, I continued the training for the pleasure, after having taken 4 weeks to recover from my injuries. I also have been approached to initiate myself with the long track. I left for 2 weeks in Calgary--the results were conclusive; in the opinions of almost everyone--I had results beyond their expectations. Certain people believed that I had at least 1 year of experience, whereas that made 4 days that I sprang back in long track. I returned to Montreal with the intention to make short track during the week, and long track during the weekend in Quebec. I have also decided to take part in the Canadian short track team in Edmonton at the beginning of December.

Once again, the bad luck was still on me. At my first race, during an outside passing, a skater fell into my legs and carried me. I struck the wall, just where the protective mattresses finished. The result was a severe contusion to the left kneecap. Still today I have after-effects of the injury, so that for this day, I still do not begin again in short track, or in long track. I must undergo an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) sometime in the next week to have a better idea of my cure, which delays. This is how I am concerning training this season.

What do you think of the mode of selection?

I am well pleased to speak about it, I am representing short track athletes at Speed Skating Canada. I thus took part in the development of this mode. All I can say it is that it was not easy to arrive at what was established. First of all, we left owing to the fact that we want to know the athletes rather early representing us in season so that those can prepare in an optimal way for the Olympics. Then, it was necessary to compose with a particular international competitions calendar this season with two world selections for Olympics spots. We are conscious that there is no ideal mode, but taking into account the circumstances and our objectives, it was the best thing to make--as it should be said that all the Canadian athletes had been informed for approximately a year.

Following was the selections, what is your state of mind?

That was very hard not to belong to this team more, which, although we all were adversaries during the 2 weeks of the Olympic selection, is made up of my closest friends the 50 other weeks of the year. More especially as the way continued for them, but not for me. Let us say that I felt drawn aside, given up per moment. But I was conscious all the same that the reasons were somewhat valid--they all were going to live one of the most enriching experiments that an athlete, a person can live.

Do you plan to still continue the long track during the following years?

As I said, I was approached following my non-selection for Torino to make long track. It was judged whereas I could be a medal contender for Vancouver. I tried my chance last November, during two weeks in Calgary. After 4 days only, some thought that I made some since 1 year at least. I liked my experiment much. However, if I make the jump, it would not be to be solely on the national team. I would aim at the highest tops, taking into account what I lived in short track. With this intention, I do not believe that it would be possible to arrive there differently than while moving to Calgary. In this moment, I think about it seriously, but I still did not make my decision. It is obviously necessary that I consider my life as a husband and father, but also of my studies.

You study in ecology, what do you want to do later?

I am at present in right to the UQAM since January, and I love that. For the first time of my life, I have a typical student schedule. I am full-time, 5 courses, which I could not do when I was fully involved in short track. Before, college and at the university, I took to the maximum only 3 courses per session, whereas in the secondary, I was in Sport-Studies with Boucherville, and I had courses only the morning. Why right? During my studies in ecology, I briefly tackled the question of the environmental right, and this question has caught my curiosity. I am finishing my certificate in ecology however this summer, whereas I always continue my studies in right.

You already established twice, the record on the 500m; according to you the 500m below 41 seconds for soon?

In fact I established the record on 1000m, which was already beaten, and with the 500m, which always holds. In fact I am surprised that it still holds. The only reason which explains why it was not beaten is that there was no international competition in Calgary (quickest ice in the world) since I have precisely established it on this ice. Moreover, with the autumn 2004, we had a national selection in Calgary, and Charles Hamelin recorded a time faster than this world record. This time counts only for one Canadian record since the competition was not sanctioned international.

Can you describe us a typical day of training?

For my part, I must say that the typical day changed well. Considering the circumstances, I am not that much implied in my training that the last summer. But here is the schedule that I had for this period, which I liked much.

8am: alarm clock and light lunch

9am: departure for the training in bike

9:15am: arrival and checking of my equipment

9:30am: warm-up and stretching

10am: beginning of the meeting on ice

12pm: end of the meeting and collation

12:30pm: treatment (either physio, or massage, or chiropractic)

1:15pm: return to the house and large dinner

2pm: commissions or nap

3:30pm: collation

4pm: departure for 2nd training session

4:15pm: warm-up and stretching

4:30: 2nd meeting (either musculation, or bicycle, or jogging, or other)

6pm: end of the meeting and beginning meeting stretching

6:30pm: end of the meeting of stretching.

7pm: return to the house and large supper.

10pm: collation

11pm: sleeping time

Photo: Jean-François Monnette receiving his world record certificate.
Credit: Stéphanie Lambert