Name: Valérie Maltais
Sport: Short Track Speed Skating
Hometown: Montreal, QC
Nickname: Vale
How you got involved in your sport: I learned to skate at age 3 and was a figure skater until age 6. My mother saw short track speed skating at the Olympics and brought me to the local club. I’ve haven’t quit since!
The moment you knew you wanted to represent Canada: At my first Canadian junior trials in 2005, where I qualified to represent my country.
Favorite Quote: “Marche sur ton chemin, car il n’existe que part tes pas”
Best Result:
-World Champion in the 3000m
-3rd in 1000m and twice World Champion in 2012
Share one valuable tool that you use on a daily basis that helps you to be the best athlete you can be: I use luminotherapy every morning.
Who is one person in your life that has impacted your career and what was it that they taught you: My father, when I was young he made his own bender and rocket machine for short track. Because I’m from Saguenay, we had to ship our blades to Montreal to have them fixed. He made his own, learned how to fix the blades and helped a lot of skaters in Saguenay Lac St-Jean.
Have you read any articles or books or watched any videos or movies recently that really inspired you: The book ‘’ Champion dans la tête’’ de François Ducasse
Website: www.valemaltais.blogspot.com