A fresh velodrome right in her neighborhood has reignited Olympic track cycling champion Kelsey Mitchell’s passion for the sport. Following her bobsled competition for Canada at the Milan Cortina Games in February, the 32-year-old athlete from Sherwood Park, Alberta, is back on the saddle at the brand-new Alberta Velodrome in Edmonton. The cycling track, housed within the recently unveiled $153 million Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre, began operations in January, making it one of only three 250-meter indoor UCI-sanctioned tracks in Canada.
Complementing the national team’s training hub at the velodrome in Milton, Ontario, built for the 2015 Pan American Games, the Centre National De Cyclisme in Bromont, Quebec, was finalized in 2022. Mitchell had clinched the women’s Olympic sprint gold in Tokyo back in 2021, having been recruited into the sport through RBC Training Ground four years prior, despite not owning a bicycle at the time.
Following an eighth-place finish in Paris in 2024, Mitchell experienced mental and physical exhaustion, prompting her to explore other athletic avenues. Transitioning briefly to speedskating, she eventually found her forte in bobsleigh, where she and pilot Melissa Lotholz from Barrhead, Alberta, secured the 13th spot in the women’s bob event in Cortina, Italy. Seeking a better balance and a change of scenery upon her return to track cycling, Mitchell found solace in the Edmonton velodrome, emphasizing the facility’s role in her decision to come back to cycling.
Training three days a week on Edmonton’s hardwood track, just a 30-minute drive from her home in Sherwood Park, Mitchell cherishes the proximity to her family and friends. Following the Winter Olympics, Mitchell addressed a longstanding leg issue through a platelet-rich plasma injection in April before diving back into her cycling regimen. Her current focus is meeting the national standard time, with plans to attempt qualification on August 31, aiming to secure a spot on the Canadian team.
Expressing gratitude for the support she has received in Edmonton, Mitchell remains determined to attain her goals, including a potential fourth Olympic appearance in Los Angeles in 2028. The Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre, integrated with the Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre, piques Mitchell’s interest with its ability to accommodate both elite and recreational athletes, fostering a diverse sporting community in Alberta.
Thrilled by the facility’s presence in Alberta and its conducive altitude for high-speed tracks, Mitchell is drawn to the opportunity it provides in introducing track cycling to a broader audience. Reflecting on the growth of the sport in Canada, Mitchell acknowledges the significance of expanding infrastructure to support athletic endeavors, underlining the positive impact of having more velodromes accessible throughout the country.