Minding a trapline in rural Manitoba is a lonely affair. Long hours spent setting snares in primeval boreal forest have proven to be an ideal training regimen for a budding athlete, but it leaves large gaps in the social calendar.
Fortunately for two-time Olympian Megan Imrie, she had plenty of furry and feathered friends to keep her family busy.
“Beside the 40 horses we had in the backyard, we had two goats named Rod and Todd, pet ducks that followed us around, four rabbits that turned into 200 rabbits that we’d carry around in baskets, dogs, cats, geese on the pond, sheep, llama, cows. We had almost every farm animal you could think of, except for a donkey. I’m looking forward to having a donkey one day,” Imrie said.
After such an upbringing, it should come as no surprise Imrie is leaving biathlon to pursue a career as a veterinarian.
Long expected, but finally made official on Monday (May 5), Imrie exchanged her biathlon rifle for a classroom at the University of Victoria. Fresh off the best season of her career, which included a eighth-place finish in the team relay at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Imrie says the time is right to leave the sport she’s practiced for 14 years.
“It feels pretty good right now. I know my team is already back at training and I have totally changed paths. I have just spent some time on the farm and feel ready for some new things,” Imrie said.
Forever the poster child for small town athletes, the bright-eyed Imrie was always quick with the folksy quote and the friendly smile, attracting sponsors, including a trapper’s association, a grocery store and Rocky Mountain Soap Company to help fund her Olympic aspirations. She was first attracted to the sport at the age of six and moved to Canmore in 2005 to pursue her Olympic dreams.
She was also an outspoken advocate for increased amateur sport funding and the fur industry, which she argued provides a sustainable natural alternative to mass-produced, Chinese-made fabrics.
“Trapping is part of our heritage. In some way, everyone in Canada has come from some small town roots. That’s important to always remember and show gratitude and thanks,” Imrie said.
Through her entire career, she credited her small town upbringing with her athletic success.
Although she’s sure she could have continued to compete at a high level this year physically, her heart needed a break from the grind.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the next couple of years could have been fantastic. But I feel at this point, I’ve had this on my mind for a while. Being an athlete is a tough job. It’s both physically and mentally taxing,” Imrie said.
Ending her career on a high note, Imrie was Canada’s most consistent biathlete at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and had her most memorable moment in December of 2013, when she was part of the women’s fourth-place finish in the biathlon relay with Rosanna Crawford, Megan Heinicke and Zina Kocher. The result represented the hard work the team had put in, and allowed them to defeat larger, well-funded teams.
“That was really exciting. It was the first time we all stepped into the prize ceremony together. We all came a long way to get to that point. It was also the best part, because the day before, we went out to a French market and bought a bunch of cheese. Then in the awards ceremony, we were given more cheese,” Imrie said.
She wants to stay involved with the sport, and will spread the biathlon gospel across Manitoba as often as possible this summer. She hasn’t ruled out a comeback for the IBU Cup next winter in Canmore, however, much of that will depend on her studies.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the lessons I learned, especially with young Manitoba athletes. Awareness of the sport isn’t the same there and we should work to increase it. The nations that have a solid foundation in the sport from kindergarten up, those are the powerhouse nations,” Imrie said.
She also wants the sport to put a greater effort into recruitment, which she credits with keeping her in the sport.
“I wouldn’t be here if hadn’t been for an aggressive outreach program in 2001. I was part of a development team that year and wouldn’t be involved if not for that. It’s easy for kids in Canmore who have a world class training facility in their backyards, but access for athletes in other places in Canada, there has to be that aggressive programming.
“That comes down to money to do it. If it weren’t for that, Brendan Green wouldn’t be here, or Scott Perras. It’s not always kids with the silver spoon in their mouths who are the best athletes.”
She also credits coaches Rich Petit, Gerret Coyne, Roddy Ward and Matthias Ahrens for helping her succeed, ensuring she got the proper training available, even when she felt like a Shetland pony lining up against a field of thoroughbreds.
While she pushed for more amateur funding throughout her career, she said Canada’s underdog role wasn’t without its benefits.
“If anyone is wondering if it’s good to fund amateur athletes, the final answer is ‘yes.’ There is the other side. Trying to fight our way to the top gives our athletes character. It makes us fighters on the world scene,” Imrie said. “I often talk about small town grit and feeling supported. Everyone had some role in getting me to where I was.”
