Writing on Row2k Heather Mandoli reflects on her journey to the Olympic regatta

Blogging confession

I'm going to take a bunch of steps back to about two weeks ago, when I put up my first blog entry… I have to admit this is my first time blogging. I was honored when I was asked by row2k to give a bit different view on what is happening here in Beijing. As a first time Olympian, Canadian, woman and competing athlete at these games, I may have a bit different view on how things are going here compared to the other fellow bloggers. So let me introduce myself (which I should have done about two weeks ago, sorry :-))

My name is Heather Mandoli and I was born and raised in Kelowna, British Columbia (it is a city of about 150,000 3 hours east of Vancouver). I am 25 years old and attended the University of Michigan from 2000-2004 and the University of Western Ontario from 2004-2006. I started rowing in 1999, after winning a set of rowing lessons from the local rowing club. After a wonderful career at Michigan I decided to test the waters back in my home country and see if I could survive on the Canadian national team. During my first summer I tried out for the U23 team and rowed in the W4-. We won a bronze medal (the first in quite awhile for Canadian women's under 23 rowing). And ever since the summer of 2004 I've been training full time at the London Training Centre, home of the Canadian National Women's Rowing team. In 2005 I rowed in the W4x, and since 2006 I have been in the women's eight. Currently I'm rowing in bow seat of the Canadian women's eight during the Olympics. Sorry for such a delayed hello and introduction to myself. Be in touch soon!

Heather