Vermilion’s Alison Jackson received a phone call on July 13 which made her lifetime dream come true.
Jackson will be joining her teammates Leah Kirchmann and Karol Ann Canuel in Tokyo, Japan on the Canadian Olympic Womens Cycling Road Team. Jackson was the first alternate for the team and due to a last-minute change, Canada received the third spot for the Womens Road Race after another nation pulled out.
“I’m basically just in shock! I think Canada found out about being able to get another spot just hours before they contacted me. You never hope that anyone gets injured. But basically, that was the only possibility I thought that I would have in order to go. And so this is just like nothing I could have imagined that would happen. I think it’s a very special circumstance,” stated Jackson.
Jackson has had a long successful career in cycling since 2014 including coming in 1st overall Tour de White Rock, 1st Stage 1 Tour de Delta, 1st Huesdaen in 2015, 1st Stage 6 Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l’Ardèche, 1st Stage 1 Chico Stage Race in 2016, 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Semana Ciclista Valenciana, 1st Romanengo ITT National Road Championships in 2017 and also 1st Oudenaarde–GP de President in 2018 and numerous other placings throughout her career which can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Jackson_(cyclist).
Jackson (32) has been back in Canada since April after her race with the Liv Racing trade team at Fleche Wallonne and has spent the past few months in the Vancouver area which will help her acclimate to the hot, humid weather in Toyko.
“We had some 44 C days and it’s mostly just right around 30 C to 32 C so basically, that’s on par with what Japan has. It might be a little more humid in Tokyo than here but yeah, I think that actually, I will be fine in the heat. I’ve been doing all my training in the middle of the day here,” said Jackson.
According to Jackson’s sister, Alison has always been very active in the sports community from gymnastics, soccer, dance, to school sports, and that her family is extremely proud of her.
“Her entire family is so proud of her accomplishment as this has been a life-long dream of hers. We wish we could be there in person to cheer her on but due to COVID no spectators are able to attend the Olympics,” said Alison’s sister Nicole.
In an Instagram photo sent to the Vermilion Voice on Jackson’s behalf, Jackson stated, “I can’t believe it but I have received a call today that another country withdrew a spot from the Olympic Games which gave Canada back the spot we had lost in the qualification shuffle-around
This has been an incredibly spiritual journey for me. I am honoured with the gift of being named to the Canadian Olympic team. It’s been a rough year for me and I’ve listened to God’s gentle whisper in my heart calling me to a patient hope, not knowing what that would look like, but all the while having keen attention to the beauty of this sport and the people loving me, supporting me and encouraging me. This nomination is as much mine as it is yours, my dear fans.”
The race will take place on July 25 in Toyko Japan and with the time difference, it will start at 10 p.m. July 24 Mountain time.