Canada in Tokyo – Lynda Kiejko – Shooting

It is not uncommon for athletes to follow in their family’s footsteps, but for Lynda Kiejko, Tokyo 2020 is set to be extra special.

The Calgary native will be Canada’s sole shooting representative in Japan, the sixth Olympics for members of her immediate family.

That is an impressive feat by itself, but this one is personal for Kiejko.

“My father, the late Bill Hare, was a three-time Olympian,” Kiejko explains. “He actually competed in Tokyo in 1964, his first Olympics.

“So 57 years after, I get to go and compete in the same place and at the same range my dad competed on. I am absolutely thrilled.”

Kiejko and her sister, Dorothy Ludwig, did not even know that their father had such a legacy in the sport until their own participation began.

“I remember him going to the shooting range, but it was just something Dad did,” Kiejko said. “He downplayed it, he was very modest about it and he didn’t sneak it into every conversation.

“He was always a steady, consistent encouragement but never added any pressure and he always gave us the tools to succeed.

“It’s huge for me. Leading up the trials I was looking out in my garage for something and I found a medallion my dad had brought back from the Tokyo 1964 Olympics.

“It was that realization right there of how special it would be.”

It is not just the previous generation of Kiejko’s family that has played an instrumental part of her career, but the next generation too.

A number of the 40-year-old’s most influential career performances came straight after giving birth to her three children.

“My first daughter was horrendously late,” Kiejko said. “I placed fifth in the (2014) Commonwealth Games 15 days after giving birth.

“My recovery for the third child was definitely not that fast,” Kiejko added.

Maybe not, but just four months later she secured her place at Tokyo 2020. Kiejko, who’s coached by Lisa Borgerson of Rockglen, Sask., says it taught her a lot about priorities and perspective.

“A lot of the self-doubt kind of floats away when you have yourself grounded,” Kiejko said. “My family is truly one of the most important things in my life.

“Having kids also makes you more adaptable. The unexpected is going to happen. You can prepare for plan A, B and C and they are going to come in with G, H, I, J and K.

“Finding the flexibility and working through it has made me a stronger person and athlete.”

This will be Kiejko’s second Games after making her debut in Rio five years ago. She said that there were a lot of pressures on her but the experience was invaluable and once you are out there it is the same as every other competition.

The pride of her family’s legacy in shooting is not lost on Kiejko either, and while not particularly superstitious, the markswoman always carries ‘lucky loonies’ with her.

“It reminds me just of how many Canadians are cheering for me,” Kiejko said. “The honour that it is to put on the maple leaf, the loonie is a stark reminder for me of the Canadians I am honoured to represent.”

So what of the sixth Olympics from her family? We have to go back to her sister Dorothy and London 2012.

“We actually competed against each other for the one quota at London 2012. My sister literally beat me out,” Kiejko recalled.

“It took me 30 seconds after losing to turn around and offer to be her support staff and help her out in London.”

When not competing against each other, occasionally the sisters team up. Kiejko and Ludwig won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal together in the pairs competition in 2010.

When it comes to her expectations for Tokyo, Kiejko is realistic about her chances, acknowledging that the gold medal-winning Pan American championship scores would be good enough for a top-20 finish at the Olympics.

However, COVID-19 naturally is an underlying factor, and that makes it wide open this time around.

“It has been a chaotic last year. Everyone across the world has had some crazy story interrupting their preparations. It could be anybody’s Games,” Kiejko said.

Perhaps Kiejko considered another child, as that has brought out the best in her before after all.

“My son was significantly largely than the others … There wasn’t going to be a fourth!” Kiejko joked.

Catch Lynda Kiejko in action in the 10m air pistol on the evening of July 24, and the 25m pistol on July 29.

Listen to the full interview – https://iono.fm/e/1076971