by: Elysia Arseneau, staff writer
All of Ottawa, and especially the Westboro community, is proud of local hero Michael Tayler: he will soon be competing in his second Olympic Games!
Tayler finished 20th at the 2012 London Summer Olympics in the men’s canoe slalom K-1 event. This year, he is headed to Rio to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Canoe – Kayak – Slalom. Also competing is Canadian Cameron Smedly from Dunrobin, Ontario. Both men are looking forward to soaking in everything that the Games have to offer. In a recent interview with Ottawa West News, Tayler said that competing at the Olympics is “the big dream. The big goal that very few people can actually do.”
NutriChem has been a proud sponsor of Michael Tayler since the beginning of his London Olympic journey. (Like it says on the sidebar of his website, he is Powered by NutriChem!) Tayler also came to NutriChem for his Customized Multivitamin and Mineral Formula in 2013, and has been taking it ever since. He says, “My favourite thing about my custom is the energy I have to get me through a day's worth of training.”
Here is a photo of Michael picking up his Custom Multivitamin and Mineral Formula in June, 2016 before he headed off to Rio!
Another NutriChem product that he likes is Logical Choice Whey Protein. “A lot of other protein powders don't mix well, or have a chalky taste. I love the chocolate flavour and usually make a shake as a recovery drink for after training.”
We were curious about Michael Tayler’s other health routines, so we asked him! Here’s what he had to say about his meal choices, what keeps him motivated to train, and his advice for young athletes.
Q: In addition to your Custom Formula and Logical Choice Whey Protein from NutriChem, what other supplements do you take?
A: I take NutriChem's Cognitine (creatine) and a fish oil supplement.
Q: What is your favourite go-to healthy meal?
A: I like a lot of variety in my diet as long hours of training often requires a lot of calories. If I have time, I like to make a mango salsa that can spice up a plain chicken breast or scrambled eggs.
Q: What keeps you motivated when times get tough?
A: Some of the hardest months of training we do are here in Ottawa in November and December. We try and stay on the water as long as possible, and when it’s cold and miserable I try and think about the warm days in the summer when there's no place better to be than on the water.
Q: Who is your athletic idol?
A: In the summer of 2000 I started kayaking right around the same time as the Sydney Olympics. I remember watching Simon Whitfield come from behind and win Gold in the Triathlon. That moment is the only one I remember from those Games and that race has always stuck with me as an example of pure drive and determination at the highest level of sports.
Q: What advice do you have for young athletes who’d like to head to the Olympics one day?
A: For every success that any Olympian has there are a dozen or more times where we have failed. My advice for young athletes is to not just learn from failure but embrace it as a necessary part of a longer process towards success.
Notable International Results – Michael Tayler
(from Olympic.ca)
- Olympic Games: 2012 – 20th (K-1)
- ICF World Championships: 2015 – 101st (K-1), 11th (K-1 Team); 2014 – 49th (K-1), 8th (K-1 Team)
- ICF World Championships (U23): 2015 – 14th (K-1); 2014 – 32nd (K-1)
- ICF World Championships (junior): 2010 – 13th (K-1)
You can help sponsor Michael Tayler on his website.
Follow Michael Tayler on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
NutriChem, Westboro, Ottawa, and all of Canada will be cheering for Michael Tayler and the Canadian Olympic Team this summer during the Games!
The Rio 2016 Games start on August 5th and run until the 21st. See the Official Rio 2016 Olympics schedule on their website.
References:
Michael Tayler’s website - http://www.michaeltayler.ca
Olympic.ca - http://olympic.ca/team-canada/michael-tayler/
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Tayler
Canoe Kayak Canada - http://canoekayak.ca/cameron-smedley-and-michael-tayler-meet-the-mark-for-olympic-selection/
Ottawa Community News - http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/6772546-local-paddlers-michael-tayler-and-cameron-smedley-face-relentless-waters-in-rio/
Carleton.ca - https://carleton.ca/our-stories/story/olympic-dreams/