Bishop-Nriagu, Kelly to compete in 800-metre heats in Tokyo Thursday night
An Olympic hero from the Ottawa Valley is set to appear at her third Olympic Games Thursday night, as Eganville’s Melissa Bishop-Nriagu will race in the women’s 800-metre event.
Parents Doug and Alison Bishop have been here before, having watched their daughter compete at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 games, but they say it never gets easier.
“Always nervous, and pretty excited at the same time, obviously,” says Doug Bishop, of watching his daughter compete at the Olympics. “But you’re always on the edge; what’s going to happen, we don’t know.”
Bishop-Nriagu, ranked 27th in the world, is set to race in Heat 3 Thursday night, which is slated to begin at 9:41 p.m. ET. Teammate and fellow Ottawa Valley Olympian Madeleine Kelly from Pembroke, ranked 50th in the world, will race in Heat 1 at 9:25 p.m. ET.
For Kelly, it will be her first Olympic Games. Kelly won bronze at the Canadian Olympic Trials to earn her spot in Tokyo.
“It's very exciting you know that we've worked so hard for this,” says Bishop-Nriagu. “2020 was tough; I mean we found out that the Olympics were cancelled and so we've all had to go back to the drawing board and figure out how we're going to train through this. And I think ultimately we've all come out of this stronger, fitter, faster, and mentally stronger too.”
Bishop-Nriagu is the pride of Eganville, Ontario, competing at her third Olympic Games, as well as winning gold at the Pan Am games in 2015, silver at the AAF World Championships in 2015, and holding the Canadian women’s 800-metre record at 1:57:01.
“Not only is she making her small town proud, she’s making it possible for any athlete from anywhere in Canada feel like they can accomplish something,” says her former running coach Andrew Page.
“It’s the most wonderful place to be, most wonderful place,” Alison Bishop says of the small town of Eganville. “Wonderful people, have been always behind her, from high school right through.”
Due to the pandemic, the Bishops could not travel to Tokyo to watch their daughter compete. In previous years, there have been watch parties hosted in town but Thursday evening the couple plan to spend the night quietly in front of their TV.
“That’s kind of the way we like it,” laughs Doug Bishop.
Page says he’ll do the same, trying to keep his nerve the entire time, and as Bishop-Nriagu’s former coach he says the way she attacks tonight’s race will be an interesting watch.
“In the races she’s been going out and leading the races from the front, and practicing that tactic,” explains Page. “So I don’t know what she’s going to do tonight. I’m guessing she’s going to go out and lead the race. I don’t know what she’s got in store, and I don’t know if her competitors know what she’s got in store for them.”
“Go for it girls,” says Alison Bishop, cheering on her daughter and Pembroke’s Kelly. “Enjoy the Olympics, and thank you to the community for all the support.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.