Welcome back!
This week I had the privilege of talking to Olympic Champion Kyle Shewfelt!
Kyle began his gymnastics career at the age of 6 when his mother was tired of him cartwheeling around the house. She and his father enrolled Kyle in gymnastics lessons at their local club as an outlet for his energy. Kyle’s passion for the sport quickly ignited and he soon realized it would be a lifelong pursuit.
Kyle is a three-time Olympian and a multiple World Championship, Commonwealth Games, and World Cup medalist. His gold medal performance in the men’s floor exercise at the 2004 Olympics was the first-ever medal for a Canadian in an artistic gymnastics event and was the first Canadian gold of the 2004 Olympics.
Kyle is known for the courage he showed in the face of adversity. After breaking his legs on a bad landing in 2007, he embarked on the biggest challenge of his career and had just 11 months to recover in time for the 2008 games. He qualified and his comeback inspired many young gymnasts.
Now Kyle’s focus is in involving and engaging others. After retiring from competition in 2009, Kyle is still heavily involved in the sport and the community. He has been an expert analyst for both CBC and CTV’s coverage of gymnastics. Kyle is an ambassador and mentor for Gymnastics Canada Gymnastique and he works closely with numerous charity organizations including Kidsport, Special Olympics and Right To Play. In addition, he sits on the board of directors for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
Above all else, Kyle is a perpetual optimist who enjoys helping others reach their potential. He believes in the power of a high five and is excited to connect everyone to the foundation of the sport he loves so much.
We discuss his learnings from being involved in sport and his future vision of a safe space around sport.
Enjoy!