Short Track Speed Skating

Valérie Maltais is a short track speed skater from La Baie, Que., who now lives in Montreal. Maltais, 19, was a bronze medalist at the 2009 world junior championships.

This was your first season on the World Cup circuit. Tell me about it.

It was very, very exciting. I was the youngest on the team, so I had a chance to talk with the other athletes and get some experience. I think that was the strong point, and also the world championships. It was a good season.

What got you into the sport?

I was a figure skater before. My mom got me into speed skating at the age of six. She got me in because I was always doing some racing after figure skating practice. She saw [speed skating] at the Albertville Olympics and loved that sport ... I saw Marc Gagnon on the podium, and thought, ‘I want to be at the Olympics too.'

What do you like best about your sport?

I think it's a challenge. We always have something to improve. And I love the competition.

Tell me about your results at the world championships this year and how you felt about them.

It was my first world championships, so I didn't have an objective. I wanted to be there, and if not I would have been disappointed. I'm very proud of my results. I made the world semi-final in the 1,500 so I was pretty happy. The 500 was good. In the 1,000, I didn't do as well as I would like, but the relay was the good part. We were a team, and we work as a team.

What would it mean to you to compete in an Olympic Games in Canada?

Everyone is cheering for you, everyone is there, and everyone knows who you are. Maybe it's stressful. I think I will try to not put pressure on me, and just be myself. But I will see when I will be there.

I suppose the good thing for you, is you have options. You're just starting your career. This will be the first of, what I imagine you hope will be, several Olympics.

Yeah, it's not the end basically. And it would be easier for the other Olympics if I knew that I did this Olympics. So, 2014 is the Olympics too, and maybe after I don't know, I don't have any plans with my life.

What's been the best moment of your career so far?

I think it's my medal from the world juniors [in 2009] - my individual bronze medal in the 500 metres. I was very, very proud of that. This is not the distance that usually I'm the best at. But I can do something good in everything.

What did you learn while competing for the first time on the World Cup circuit?

I learned how to be patient in my race. I learned some technical things, different small things that make me a better skater for the next year and for the Olympics.

You said you learned not to get stressed this year. Did you get stressed earlier in your career?

I know when is the time to be stressed and when is the time to be relaxed. That is my difference. And, don't take too much energy when I don't need it. I work with a psychologist.

So when's the time to be stressed and when's the time to be relaxed?

The time to be relaxed is between the race, you don't have to think about it, how my race will be, time to make the final, just relax. And when I warm up is the time to start to think because you will already be stressed. On the line, when I prepare and get ready, it's time to focus and just breathe. And on the line, I'm not supposed to be stressed. I am just supposed to know what I have to do.

In short track, a lot of athletes come from Quebec. A lot of athletes come from Western Canada. You have this coming together of two different ends of the country. What have you learned about the rest of Canada from the interaction with your teammates?

We don't have problems to get together when you have to go to competitions. I've known those girls for a long time. I don't think I really learned something about the society, I just talk about speed skating. I know those girls, but we don't have those conversations about our lives.