P.G.'s Olympic biathlete takes the keys for a new Subaru
Megan Tandy couldn't fit her new Subaru Impreza in her carry-on luggage.
Tandy, a member of Canada's biathlon team for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler, was briefly back in Prince George on Tuesday so she could attend a special event at 5th & Carney Subaru. While there, she accepted a two-year free lease of a brand new car, courtesy of dealership owner Gary Thompson.
Unfortunately, Tandy's hectic training schedule meant she had to fly in to Prince George in the morning and take a return flight to Vancouver in the afternoon.
But what about the car?
Don't worry. Tandy's parents, Ed and Heather, will drive it south in a few weeks when they head for the Games.
"My dad will get to test drive it," Tandy said with a laugh.
"The car looks awesome. I absolutely couldn't believe how good it looks. They had it in the showroom and I got to meet all of the people that sponsored and helped bring it together. I got to thank Gary and see the vehicle so it was a really fun morning.
"It's this really great blue colour -- I think it looks like a race car, myself."
For Thompson, handing the keys to the 21-year-old Tandy was a pleasure.
"We are very proud that we are able to support Megan in her upcoming adventures," he said. "It's important for all companies to get behind their local athletes."
Tandy, a first-time Olympian who grew up on the trails at the Otway Nordic Centre, will begin competition at the Games on Feb. 13. She'll do a 7.5-kilometre sprint race and is also entered in a 15km individual race and a relay race. If she qualifies, she'll also be on course for a 10km pursuit. Biathlon brings together the disciplines of cross-country skiing and target shooting.
Between now and the start of the Olympics, Tandy will be in training mode. Starting this morning, she'll be at a camp at Mount Washington, located on Vancouver Island.
"I will be there until Feb. 1 as a B.C. training camp with my home coach (Illmar Heinicke), who's also the B.C. head coach," Tandy said. "After that, the rest of the Canadian team will be arriving from the national training centres. They've just gotten home from a tour. From Feb. 1 to Feb. 8 will be the official Canadian Olympic team pre-Olympic camp and on Feb. 8 we'll pack up and head to the athlete's village."
Of course, with the Games drawing ever closer, Tandy's excitement level is rising on a daily basis.
"I am so excited," she said. "It seems almost surreal to me. I write the date sometimes and I'm like, 'Wow, it's 2010!' That year has represented the Olympics for so long, and we're here. There are some mornings I wake up, and I'm sleepy, and then I'm like, 'Holy cow, the Olympics are in three weeks!' So it's a super-exciting time."
Tandy recently had a case of whooping cough and was prevented from attending pre-Olympic World Cup races in Germany and Italy. Thankfully, she is now completely recovered.
"I figure that was my bad health luck for the rest of the season taken care of," she said. "I guess I must have caught it when I sat beside the wrong guy on the plane.
"I'm currently in good health and started training with some intensity last week so I should have sufficient time to get a good training block in and be back at the top of my game by Games time."
