Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to introduce all of you to an amazing young lady, Jessie Loutit. I had the pleasure of watching her succeed in sports such as hockey and soccer throughout her years in Fort Simpson.
After graduating from high school in Fort Simpson, she went on to university and decided after two years that she wanted to start rowing with the University of Calgary team. Instantly, she fell in love with the sport and two years later she decided to move to Auckland, New Zealand, to row during the winter months. The time on the water was extremely beneficial for her. Upon returning home, she won a silver medal in the Women's Pair in the 2010 Canada University Rowing Championship. This was the first and only medal won at these championships in the history of the University of Calgary's rowing club.
Mr. Speaker, after this competition she decided she was completely motivated to pursue her dreams of making the national team. Unfortunately, in the summer of 2011 at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta she had a major road biking accident, which set her back on her rowing goals. Following the accident, she went through two surgeries on her knees and months of rehabilitation and was able to slowly start training again.
In 2013, she moved to London, Ontario, and attended the University of Western Ontario rowing team as well as working on her second degree. She made the varsity team during the 2013-14 season, winning a bronze medal in the 8+ and a national championship banner. To add to her success, she was named to Team Canada to attend the World University Rowing Championships in Korea, and they placed fourth overall.
To fast forward, she moved back to Calgary where she competed for the Calgary Rowing Club and won their Female Athlete of the Year award.
In 2016, she had more success with her teammates at various regattas and attended the National Rowing Championships, where they won a bronze medal only to be beat by two crews who just returned from the Rio Olympics and the world championships. Later that fall, her and her pair partner were named the Calgary Rowing Club Members of the Year. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted