Alyx Treasure has her flight booked for Toronto and in about three weeks she'll be launching her five-foot-11 body over the high jump bar at the Pan Am Games.
She will join a 700-strong Team Canada athlete contingent to compete on home soil in the country's largest international multi-sport event, a first for Treasure.
It very nearly didn't happen for the 23-year-old from Prince George.
By her own admission, Treasure has been struggling to regain the form that made her a Canadian champion last summer when she set a personal best in the high jump at 1.89 metres. Her best this year on an outdoor stage happened in April 25 when she won the Brutus Hamilton Challenge in Berkeley, Calif. with a leap of 1.84m.
Since then, three Canadians have bettered Treasure's best jump of the year. Knowing only the top two female high jumpers make the Pan Am Games team, that's made for some nervous times for Treasure. Emma Kimoto of Vancouver cleared 1.85m at a meet June 13 in Bermuda and heptathlete Natasha Jackson of Abbotsford succeeded at 1.86m in a Calgary meet June 21, but that was beyond the June 14 deadline for qualifying, which ruled Jackson out for a Pan Am Games spot.
Brianne Thiesen-Eaton of Humboldt, Sask., another heptathlete, went over the bar at 1.89m May 30 in Austria but has elected to skip the high jump and will instead compete in long jump and the 4 X 400m relay at the Pan Am competition, which opened the door for Treasure.
"It's huge, I never really realized how big a deal it's going to be," said Treasure. "I've been so focused on NCAAs and being out in school that I never took the time to realize what I'm going to be doing this summer and the pressure of making the team or not making the team. It didn't hit me until the team got announced, especially since I was on the verge of not going, it was a pleasant surprise.
"Thankfully I have a chance now. I've never been to a games so that's really exciting to me, to be with all these other amazing athletes not only in my sport but all the other sport in Canada," she said.
This Friday in Edmonton, she will try to defend her Canadian title at the national championships, her final tune-up meet before the Games. After nationals she plans to return to Prince George for about 10 days before she has to leave for Toronto, July 16.
The national meet this week is a qualifier for the world track and field championships Aug. 22-30 in Beijing. The qualifying standard for women high jumpers is 1.94m.
"I don't feel pressure to repeat what I've done, I just put pressure on myself to redeem myself from the season I've had," Treasure said. "I really want to be able prove to myself that I am capable of jumping what I have jumped and, more importantly, what I want to jump."
Treasure wrapped up her college career two weekends ago at the NCAA championships in Eugene, Ore. finishing tied for 12th. Her best jump was 1.77m, a far cry from a year ago when she finished tied for second at 1.86m.
"I've been having a rocky season and I kind of needed week to regroup before nationals so hopefully I'm on the right track know," said Treasure. "Coming off of last year I had high expectations for myself and I didn't perform as well as I did last year, when I had such a great season. Technically, I know I can be a lot better. I know I have lot more in me, and that's where it gets difficult being an athlete. If it's there physically you expect it to come out."
York University is hosting the Pan Am Games athletics events. Treasure is scheduled to compete on Wednesday, July 22. Since the NCAA meet she's remained in Manhattan, Kan.,where she has use of the Kansas State University training facilities. With temperatures well into the high 30s, she trains either early in the morning or in the evenings.
"It's hard being out in Kansas by myself -- my coaches are gone, my training partners are gone, so it's just me by myself," she said. "I have access to all the facilities I need and I'm used to it and it's just easier to stay here.
"This is my transition year, from going to college to being a professional athlete. You have to be actively searching out sponsorship deals and it's going to be hard switch for me since I've been in college and really been given everything so easily, being on a full ride out here."
