The 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo starts Wednesday. I recently caught up with Canadian Chef de Mission Jennifer Heil of Spruce Grove, Alberta at Calgary’s Market Mall. Heil won a gold medal for Canada in women’s moguls at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin and a silver medal for Canada in women’s moguls at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
Q: You are a two-time Olympic medalist. How much do you think your success as an athlete will help you in your position as Chef de Mission?
A: “It’s night and day. I mean I think it is one of the core assets. First of all, just from my experience. I finished fourth by the smallest of margins (at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City), I won as a favourite, and then I had incredible pressure in 2010 as the reigning Olympic champion. Those are situations I have experienced. So, I have a lot of empathy and understanding as to what the athletes are going through. The Olympic Games are a pressure cooker. It is the most intense environment that you can operate in basically. To understand that, and to be able to support the athletes is key. My work leading up to this moment has been sharing (my own experience), making sure the athletes have their plans in place and are prepared, and are leaving nothing to chance. Being out of sport (competing), and being a leader, I am building a start up company, and my leadership makes me a better leader to the hundreds of athletes and mission staff.”
Q: I understand you have been very busy in sport as a builder. Talk a little bit about what you have been up to in the last decade since being a world class mogulist.
A: “One of the things I am the most proud of in my career is that we built an organization called B2ten. Myself, Dominick Gauthier and JD Miller cofounded the organization. We have raised $35 million for amateur athletes going to the Olympic Games, where we can create athlete centred teams. It sounds like it should be a given. However, it is not always a given, where the athletes have the best resources they need to succeed. Their physical health, mental health, well-being is at the centre of everything that gets done. So, that has been a huge part of my focus. Then, I have spent a lot of time around gender equity, and supporting the pathway through my sport for more girls and young girls to take part.”
Q: You won a gold medal 20 years ago. Have any of the talented Canadian mogulists got any advice from you?
A: “Well, Mikael Kingsbury actually comes from B2ten. I would say he doesn’t need my advice, but many of those resources have supported him in his day-to-day (training). The program has evolved. The athletes have taken their sport to the next level. For me, as the Chef de Mission, I take a lot of joy in just celebrating their performances.”
Q: In terms of being the Chef de Mission, what are you the most excited about going to Italy?
A: “Our short track speed skaters have a chance of winning the most medals ever at a single Olympic Winter Games. They are clearly stating that is their goal. I am very excited about that. I am also very excited about ski cross. We have a great legacy there. Dual moguls will be in the Olympics for the first time. I am pretty sure the world is going to fall in love with that event. It is so exciting and dynamic. Plus, my nephew, Cedric Brunet, is competing in the men’s 500 metre long track speed skating.”
Q: Many people gauge the success of an Olympic Winter Games based on number of medals won. Do you have any personal criteria in determining if this is going to be a successful Olympic Winter Games for Canada or not?
A: “Certainly, medal count is the best proxy we have. But I think given the global climate, I think we have an opportunity to show up and share our values for integrity, and fair play as Canadians. I think how we show up is really important. Athletes are under incredible financial stress right now. We have not had any increase in funding since I was an athlete, and costs have skyrocketed. The resiliency of the athletes to compete on the world stage has to be recognized and called out. To me that is a success to perform at that level with limited resources.”
