Greater Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Sabrina Byrnes
Olympic gold medalist Adam Kreek addressed the importance of clean healthy air during his keynote speech at Sportlink Greater Sudbury Sport Council's third annual Guts & Glory Luncheon Tuesday afternoon at the Radisson Hotel.
The 2008 Olympic gold medallist in men's eight rowing is
also a member of Clean Air Champions, a national charity that
works with high profile athletes to help spread the message
about leading active lifestyles that will help both the
environment as well as your physical health.
As a rower, Kreek knows the value of clean air and its role in athletic performance.
"Especially as an athlete, when you rely on air as your fuel to get going, it becomes that much more of a life-line. When you're pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion, to the brink of human suffering and your last source of hope is getting a big gulp of air, you realize that much more the importance of clean air," said the Olympian.
Kreek said the air quality in Beijing was a concern leading up to the Olympics because of the smog, but commented that the air quality was fine during competitions.
"To me, that's a testament to what we can do as humanity if we set our minds to it, because six months before (the Olympics) you couldn't even go for a run in Beijing without hacking up a lung," the athlete said, commenting on how the reduction of use of cars played a role in the air quality.
He noted that 50 per cent of urban smog pollution comes from cars. Kreek said that during the Olympics, motorists were only allowed to drive their cars every other day.
"There's a lot of issues that face us as humanity, but we can overcome it. As long as we focus on solutions and move towards our vision of the future and have a position vision of that future, then we are going to come out ahead."
The athlete noted that even simple steps such as using compact florescent light bulbs, washing clothes in cold water and taking up biking instead of driving will make a difference on the environment, be more cost efficient and will lead to a healthier lifestyle.
Also sharing their stories of inspiration were Minna Mettin-Kekalainen, who helped start the adaptive rowing program at the Sudbury Rowing Club, and Michael Hay, a local triathlete who won the Masters Division at the World Triathlon Championships in Vancouver this past June.
Mettin-Kekalainen was not able to be there in person because of a scheduled surgery, but speaking on her behalf was co-founder of the adaptive rowing program Thomas Merritt.
He shared how the reintroduction into sports took her out of her shell and led her into an active and happy lifestyle after a motorcycle accident left her paralyzed many years ago, and the diagnosis of ALS in 2005.
Mettin-Kekalainen was once a competitive hockey player and motorcross racer.
"Not walking, but life rolls on," she said in her speech. "Sport helped me find my courage, my self-esteem and the determination which is saving my life today."
Merritt said in her words that once she could not walk anymore, it became increasingly more important to find other ways to enjoy life.
As well as adaptive rowing, the athlete took up skydiving, which she has been doing on a regular basis.
"The waters and the sky became my playground," she said through Merritt's voice.
The athlete said she realized that strength is more a matter of having a determined mind, than our bodies.
Involvement in sport took Mettin-Kekalainen out of isolation and gave her the knowledge and determination that anything is possible.
Hay's main message to the audience during the luncheon was that everyone should be involved in sport to have a balanced athletic life. The athlete said that involvement with sports is beneficial to everyone.
"If you have a positive self-image, you're more likely to exude that positiveness to others," Hay said, adding that if you're going to be happy around other people, you generally have to be happy with yourself.
Hay noted that being active leads to a healthier lifestyle.
"Everybody has choices to make, start making some choices that are going to benefit your health, so that you can then be a benefit to others."
