A brand-new velodrome located in her hometown has brought back Olympic track cycling champion Kelsey Mitchell to the sport. Following her participation in bobsledding for Canada at the Milan Cortina Games in February, the 32-year-old athlete from Sherwood Park, Alberta, has returned to cycling at the recently opened Alberta Velodrome in Edmonton. This cycling track is part of the new $153 million Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre, which commenced operations in January. It is one of only three 250-meter indoor UCI-sanctioned tracks in Canada. The completion of the Centre National De Cyclisme in Bromont, Quebec, in 2022 is another significant addition to Canada’s velodrome infrastructure.
Kelsey Mitchell achieved a remarkable feat by winning the women’s Olympic sprint gold in Tokyo in 2021, despite not even owning a bike when she was recruited into the sport through RBC Training Ground four years earlier. Following her eighth-place finish in Paris in 2024, Mitchell experienced mental and physical exhaustion. However, she remained dedicated to high-performance athletics and explored speedskating before transitioning to bobsleigh, where she competed alongside pilot Melissa Lotholz from Barrhead, Alberta, finishing 13th in the women’s bobsled event in Cortina, Italy.
Upon her return to track cycling, Mitchell was drawn to the Edmonton velodrome for its conducive environment and sought balance in her life. The proximity of the hardwood track, where she trains thrice a week, to her residence in Sherwood Park provides her with the opportunity to maintain a closer connection with her family. Mitchell expressed gratitude for being back among her loved ones after being away for the past seven years, emphasizing the importance of striking a work-life balance.
Post the Winter Olympics, Mitchell focused on addressing a longstanding issue in her left leg by undergoing a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in April. She aims to achieve a national standard time on August 31 to secure a spot on the Canadian team. Mitchell, who is currently training independently with local support, is determined to reach her goal of rejoining the national team and setting her sights on the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
If selected for Canada’s team for the Los Angeles Games, Mitchell would become a four-time Olympian within seven years, joining a select group of athletes who have represented the country in both Winter and Summer Olympic Games. The integration of the Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre with the existing Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre has further enhanced the appeal of the facility for Mitchell, who appreciates the opportunity to interact with both elite and recreational athletes.
Mitchell commended the Alberta-based velodrome for its altitude advantage, fast track, and role in introducing track cycling to the public. She highlighted the significance of expanding sports opportunities in Canada, noting the growth in velodrome infrastructure from just one to three regulation-sized tracks across the country since she began her track cycling journey.
