Canadian Olympic Foundation
“When Canadians show their support for Team Canada, our confidence grows,” says gymnast Felix Dolci
As a member of the Canadian men’s gymnastics squad, 2023 was a historic year. In October, my teammates and I qualified a full gymnastics team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for the first time in 16 years. Qualifying was such a peak for us as a team
and it has given me time to reflect.
At a very young age, I played team sports like hockey and soccer. My mother, a former gymnast, suggested gymnastics might be a good match for my excessive energy. Accepting the challenge, I started in gymnastics and it automatically clicked. The combination of physical and mental challenges was exactly what I needed. That feeling of flying around and soaring into space was unique and powerful. I was hooked.
Around age 10, I had a breakthrough when I went to my first Quebec Games and recorded solid results even though I was the youngest gymnast competing. My coach encouraged me to dream big and reach for the top. To me, the top is the Olympic Games.
And my dream is about to come true.
Growing up in Quebec, I always felt the support of people around me: my parents, Laval Excellence (my club), and the Quebec Gymnastics Federation. Excelling in gymnastics requires resources: you need a club membership, travel to competitions, and an experienced coach. Everything adds up, and my family and I experienced some challenging times.
Any support I received made a tremendous difference in my results and helped me fulfill my potential.
Donor support is so important, especially for young, developing athletes. When you are a teen, when you are striving to evolve into a high-performance athlete and you don’t necessarily have big results yet, that is when you need to work as hard as you can. Everything becomes more challenging, not only financially, but also physically and mentally. This development phase is a pivotal time in an athlete’s career. It can build your resilience and mold you into the champion you want to be. Or it can break you.
When Canadians show their support for Team Canada, our confidence grows. Self-belief has been my mindset since I was young and decided that I wanted to be part of the Olympic Games. My whole life, I was often the underdog. I was the youngest. I was the smallest. But I never let that affect me. I was very confident in my abilities and I think when you can dream it, when you can visualize what you want, it becomes obtainable. You can do it. And don’t let anything or anybody tell you otherwise.
Following our Olympic qualification, the team competed at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games which was an amazing experience. We finished the competition with a silver medal in the team event and seven individual medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze). All the positive energy, experience, and excitement from that event continues to inspire us as we prepare for Paris 2024, and everything else that is sure to come our way this season.
When we compete, we feel the pride and support from people across the country. But that moment in the spotlight is just the tip of the iceberg. When I am up on floor, we are talking about 1 minute and 20 seconds of routine. Behind that minute is 16 years of intense training, overcoming challenges, and dedication. That minute you see broadcasted is simply the demonstration of the hard work, but the time we have invested to get there, that is where we need your help.
Please consider supporting Team Canada today and be sure to follow us in Paris this summer!
This season will be monumental. We will be ready and we welcome the challenge. We will shoot for the stars. And if Paris 2024 is anything like Santiago 2023, it will be an Olympic Games to remember.
Sincerely,
Félix Dolci
Artistic Gymnastics
Pan American Games Gold Medallist
