Olympians from Ottawa and region to watch at the Winter Games

Isabelle Weidemann, of Canada, reacts at the end of her race to win the bronze medal in the women's 3,000 metre speedskating race at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Saturday, February 5, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

CTVNewsOttawa.ca introduces you to the Canadian Olympians from Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

ALPINE SKIING

Valerie Grenier – St-Isidore, Ont.

The Beijing 2022 Games will be the second Olympic Games experience for the 24-year-old from St-Isidore, Ont. Grenier competed in the giant slalom, Super-G, downhill and alpine combined at the 2018 Games.

She has been a member of the Canadian Alpine Skiing Team since 2015.

Grenier began skiing when she was two-years-old.

BOBSLED

Jay Dearborn – Yarker, Ont.

Jay Dearborn makes his Winter Games debut in Beijing.

The 27-year-old attended a weekend introduction to bobsleigh event in 2020, where he had the opportunity to ride from the top of the track and learn a little about driving a sled.

Dearborn made his World Cup debut in January as the brakeman for Chris Spring in a two-man race. 

Dearborn played in the CFL with Saskatchewan.

Mike Evelyn – Ottawa, Ont.

The 28-year-old from Ottawa is making his Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing as a member of Canada's four men Bobsled team.

Evelyn played hockey until 2018, when he attended the RBC Training Ground and was recruited by Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton. He made his World Cup debut in January 2021.

Cody Sorensen – Ottawa, Ont.

This is the second Olympic Games for Cody Sorensen, after first appearing at the Sochi 2014 Games.

The 32-year-old was recruited to bobsleigh from track and field after competing at the University of Guelph.

Sorensen and Evelyn are part of the crew with pilot Chris Spring.

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Antoine Cyr – Gatineau, Que.

The 23-year-old makes his Olympic debut in Beijing.

Cyr made his debut at the senior FIS World Championships in 2021, where he was the top Canadian man in the skiathlon, sprint, and 50 km mass start.

Cyr entered his first competition at age 10.

Laura Leclair – Chelsea, Que.

This is the first Olympic Games for the 25-year-old.

Leclair competed at her first senior world championships in 2021 after appearing at the U23 worlds in 2018 and 2020.

Katherine Stewart-Jones – Chelsea, Que.

The 26-year-old will be making her Olympic debut in Beijing after representing Canada at three senior worlds.

Stewart-Jones got her first World Cup experience in 2016 when she competed in the Ski Tour Canada. She earned her first World Cup points in February 2020 in the 15 km class pursuit race in Norway.

Stewart-Jones and Leclair were part of the 4x5 km relay team that finished ninth at the 2021 World Championships.

CURLING

Rachel Homan – Ottawa, Ont.

This is the second appearance at the Winter Games for Rachel Homan. This time, Homan is teaming up with John Morris in mixed curling.

The Ottawa native, 32, skipped her Ottawa-based team at the PyeongChang winter games. Homan's rink placed sixth.

Homan started curling at age 5. Homan and her rink won the world curling title in 2017.

John Morris – Ottawa, Ont.

The 43-year-old is appearing in his third Olympic Games, this time in mixed doubles curling with Rachel Homan.

Morris has won two gold medals at the Winter Games – in men's curling at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and in mixed doubles in PyeongChang in 2018.

The Ottawa native began curling at age 5. He won world junior curling titles in 1998 and 1999.

Lisa Weagle – Ottawa, Ont.

Lisa Weagle is making her second appearance at the Winter Games, this time with the Jennifer Jones rink in women's curling.

Weagle,36, was part of Rachel Homan's rink at the PyeongChang, where they finished sixth.

The Ottawa native started curling at age 8.

FIGURE SKATING

Paul Poirier – Ottawa, Ont./Unionville, Ont.

Paul Poirier was born in Ottawa, and now resides in Toronto. Poirier and Piper Gilles will compete in ice dance at the 2022 Winter Games.

This is the third winter games for Poirier, who finished in eighth place with Gilles at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.

Poirier and Gilles won bronze at the 2021 World Championships.

FREESTYLE SKIING SKI CROSS

Brittany Phelan, Mont-Tremblant, Que.

This is the third Olympic Games for Brittany Phelan.  The 30-year-old won a silver medal at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.

Phelan made her World Cup debut in 2009.  In December, she won a bronze for her 10^th career World Cup podium.

Hannah Schmidt – Ottawa, Ont.

Hannah Schmidt, 27, makes her Olympic debut in Beijing.

Schmidt joined the national ski cross team in 2018, and recorded her first top-ten finish in December by winning the small final.

She graduated from Carleton University.

Jared Schmidt – Ottawa, Ont.

Jarden Schmidt makes his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 in freestyle skiing ski cross.

The 24-year-old began competing internationally in ski cross in 2017, which included an appearance at the FIS Junior World Championship.

During the 2020-21 season, Schmidt won his first World Cup medal, taking bronze in Georgia.

Jared is the brother of Hannah Schmidt.

MEN'S HOCKEY

Mason McTavish – Carp, Ont.

The 18-year-old from Carp will make his Olympic Games debut in Beijing.

It's been a busy 12 months for McTavish, who was drafted third overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL entry draft. McTavish scored two goals and added an assist in nine NHL games before returning to the Ontario Hockey League for the remainder of the season.

Eric O'Dell – Ottawa, Ont.

Eric O'Dell is appearing in his second Winter Games, after helping Canada win bronze at the 2018 PyeongChang games.

The 31-year-old from Ottawa plays with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL.

WOMEN'S HOCKEY

Jamie Lee Rattray – Ottawa, Ont.

Jamie Lee Rattray makes her Olympic Games debut with Canada at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

Rattray's first international appearance with the National Women's Team was the 2014 Four Nations Cup.  Rattray scored four goals during the 2021 World Championships to help Canada win its first world title since 2012.

Rattray started playing hockey at age 4.

LONG-TRACK SPEED-SKATING

Ivanie Blondin – Ottawa, Ont.

This is the third Winter Games for the 31-year-old, after competing in Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang 2018.  In PyeongChang, Blondin posted top-six finishes in team pursuit, 3,000m and 5,000m.

Blondin is an eight-time medallist at the World Single Distances Championships.

Blondin started skating in her backyard at age 2, started short-track speed skating at age 14 before transitioning to long-track at age 20.

Blondin will compete in the Women's 1,500m, 3,000m, 5000m, Mass Start and Team Pursuit

Isabelle Weidemann – Ottawa, Ont.

Isabelle Weidemann is competing in her second Winter Games, after first competing in PyeongChang in 2018. Weidemann finished fourth in the team pursuit in 2018, and skated to sixth and seventh-place finishes in the 5,000m and 3,000m, respectively.

The 26-year-old first started skating at age 6 and took up speed skating at age 12. Weidemann first represented Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championships.

Weidemann will compete in the Women's 3,000m, 5,000m, and Team Pursuit

SKELETON

Mirela Rahneva – Ottawa, Ont.

The Beijing Games will be the second Olympics for Mirela Rahneva.

The 33-year-old first enjoyed sporting success on the rugby pitch at the University of Guelph. After a short stint with the national rugby squad, she was inspired to transition from rugby to bobsleigh by Heather Moyse. 

Rahneva finished 12^th in women's skeleton at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang.