olympic gold medallist
& world champion
BIO:
Ashleigh McIvor is a retired Canadian skicross Olympic Gold Medallist & World Champion from Whistler, BC. A fairytale success story, Ashleigh's Olympic victory was at the 2010 Vancouver/Whistler Games, at which the sport of Skicross --where athletes race head-to-head over bumps, jumps and all sorts of crazy terrain-- made it's Olympic debut. The hometown hero's victory was part of the nation's greatest gold medal haul of all time. It secured her place in the history books, setting a standard for those she inspired. Her teammates Marielle Thompson and Kelsey Serwa went on to win gold in the following two Olympic Games in Sochi and South Korea, respectively.
Ashleigh has a very interesting story to tell about growing up immersed in a culture that revolves around pursuing passions and striving for excellence in sport. It's a story of perseverance and a relentless belief in the concept of making the most of each day through a well-thought-out, step-by-step process. Ashleigh never got too far ahead of herself. In fact, she intentionally shied away from ever thinking about Olympic gold at all --though many sports psychologists urged her to "go there. think about how that might feel. visualize yourself standing on top of that podium." Ashleigh was acutely aware that this one-size-fits all approach did not apply to her... that she thrived in a low-pressure environment where the focus was all on having fun. She skipped gym sessions to ride her mountain bike, and prioritized connections with friends, family, and lovers above going the extra mile to ensure that she was stronger, fitter, more prepared than her competitors. And it worked out. Ashleigh was determined to keep a healthy "work/life balance" going for herself, and thankfully she had one particular coach who was on board with this approach, though he couldn't reveal his secret support to the rest of the coaching staff and administrative team.
Without the prescribed obsession over that Olympic gold medal taking up space in her head, Ashleigh was free to focus on taking it day by day, tackling manageable goals, celebrating small victories, and predominantly managed to stay in that sought-after flow state to cruise naturally toward the desired outcome. Ashleigh's approach was unique in that it wasn't the typical at-all-cost story of self-sacrifice; this spirited, fun-loving, charismatic athlete made sure it felt in line were her values throughout the wild ride that has become the story of her Olympic journey.
Having had many years to reflect on which strategies set her apart from the competition --strategies which her aforementioned teammates put to good use and also found success through-- Ashleigh feels strongly that it is valuable knowledge to pass along to anyone chasing a dream, or looking to accomplish lofty goals.
STORY:
Ashleigh's path to success began with her entry to ski racing at the age of 10 and progressed through the transition from alpine ski racing (where athletes race the clock) into the sport she was clearly destined to represent her country in: skicross (where racers go head-to-head over jumps, berms and all sorts of challenging terrain) at the relatively late age of 20. Ashleigh battled back from countless injuries to eventually become a dominant force on the World Cup circuit and at the X Games, before claiming her World Championship victory to qualify for the Olympic Games in her hometown. She has always been very dedicated to achieving her goals --putting the work in while focussing on the positive in every situation to keep the passion alive --and the charismatic champion has been able to carry her formula for success over to her career in broadcasting, modelling and public speaking.
More>>>
Ashleigh McIvor is a retired Canadian skicross Olympic Gold Medallist & World Champion from Whistler, BC. A fairytale success story, Ashleigh's Olympic victory was at the 2010 Vancouver/Whistler Games, at which the sport of Skicross --where athletes race head-to-head over bumps, jumps and all sorts of crazy terrain-- made it's Olympic debut. The hometown hero's victory was part of the nation's greatest gold medal haul of all time. It secured her place in the history books, setting a standard for those she inspired. Her teammates Marielle Thompson and Kelsey Serwa went on to win gold in the following two Olympic Games in Sochi and South Korea, respectively.
Ashleigh has a very interesting story to tell about growing up immersed in a culture that revolves around pursuing passions and striving for excellence in sport. It's a story of perseverance and a relentless belief in the concept of making the most of each day through a well-thought-out, step-by-step process. Ashleigh never got too far ahead of herself. In fact, she intentionally shied away from ever thinking about Olympic gold at all --though many sports psychologists urged her to "go there. think about how that might feel. visualize yourself standing on top of that podium." Ashleigh was acutely aware that this one-size-fits all approach did not apply to her... that she thrived in a low-pressure environment where the focus was all on having fun. She skipped gym sessions to ride her mountain bike, and prioritized connections with friends, family, and lovers above going the extra mile to ensure that she was stronger, fitter, more prepared than her competitors. And it worked out. Ashleigh was determined to keep a healthy "work/life balance" going for herself, and thankfully she had one particular coach who was on board with this approach, though he couldn't reveal his secret support to the rest of the coaching staff and administrative team.
Without the prescribed obsession over that Olympic gold medal taking up space in her head, Ashleigh was free to focus on taking it day by day, tackling manageable goals, celebrating small victories, and predominantly managed to stay in that sought-after flow state to cruise naturally toward the desired outcome. Ashleigh's approach was unique in that it wasn't the typical at-all-cost story of self-sacrifice; this spirited, fun-loving, charismatic athlete made sure it felt in line were her values throughout the wild ride that has become the story of her Olympic journey.
Having had many years to reflect on which strategies set her apart from the competition --strategies which her aforementioned teammates put to good use and also found success through-- Ashleigh feels strongly that it is valuable knowledge to pass along to anyone chasing a dream, or looking to accomplish lofty goals.
STORY:
Ashleigh's path to success began with her entry to ski racing at the age of 10 and progressed through the transition from alpine ski racing (where athletes race the clock) into the sport she was clearly destined to represent her country in: skicross (where racers go head-to-head over jumps, berms and all sorts of challenging terrain) at the relatively late age of 20. Ashleigh battled back from countless injuries to eventually become a dominant force on the World Cup circuit and at the X Games, before claiming her World Championship victory to qualify for the Olympic Games in her hometown. She has always been very dedicated to achieving her goals --putting the work in while focussing on the positive in every situation to keep the passion alive --and the charismatic champion has been able to carry her formula for success over to her career in broadcasting, modelling and public speaking.
More>>>
