Achieving Olympic dream was no easy chore for Ottawa paddler

By LISA BURKE -- Ottawa Sun
  Tyler Lawlor was so excited about going to the Sydney Olympics, he could hardly believe a mistake might burst his dream.

 Lawlor, a whitewater paddler who competes in slalom C-2 (canoe doubles) with partner Benoit Gauthier of Mont-Rolland, Que., had assumed he would be headed to Sydney because he had met the Canadian Olympic Association's qualifying standard. But then he was told the International Canoe Federation had made a mistake in allotting Canada a spot in the C-2 event.

 When the COA named its team for the Sydney Games on Tuesday, Lawlor and Gauthier's names weren't on the list. But two days later, the ICF confirmed Lawlor and Gauthier's entry after three countries withdrew boats from other events.

 The dream is alive again.

 "It was total hell," said Lawlor about waiting for an official decision. "I kept thinking it wasn't going to be a problem, but it was awful to have to think of not going."

 Lawlor, 27, has dedicated himself to his sport and can hardly believe it's given him the opportunity to represent his country at the highest level.

 The Ottawa native took up paddling eight years ago while working as a camp paddler.

 Lawlor was always an avid athlete, but was still amazed how much he loved paddling when he first took it up.

 "It was love at first paddle," admitted Lawlor. "It just really felt right."

 The West Carleton High School graduate loved the outdoors and pursued his interests at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, where he studied recreation.

 Known for his desire to do everything perfectly, Lawlor dedicated himself to improving his technique on the water.

 "As I pursued it, I started realizing the potential I had," said Lawlor. "By 1997, I started to realize I just might be able to make it to the Olympics."

 But suddenly Lawlor found himself without a partner.

 Tim Stuempel, whom Lawlor had been paddling with for the past two seasons, accepted a job as a firefighter and decided to take an early retirement from the sport.

 Stuempel and Lawlor had agreed they had fallen short of reaching their goals and that a separation might be the best thing.

 The decision was the right one, but it still put a crimp in Lawlor's Olympic dreams. He continued to train alone last fall and then in January the perfect opportunity to resume chasing his dream arrived.

 Francois Letourneau announced his retirement for personal reasons, leaving Gauthier without a partner. Lawlor wasted little time getting on the phone.

 "I called Benoit (Gauthier) and asked if he wanted to join forces," said Lawlor. "We hooked up in January and made some leaps and bounds in a pretty short time."

 Gauthier participated in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and is a nine-year veteran on the national team.

 "We're not yet at the same level as I was with Francois," said Gauthier. "But we get along great and are improving."

 Gauthier, 33, had already qualified for the Olympics with Letourneau, but needed to do so again with Lawlor.

 The two took care of business by finishing 14th at the season-opening World Cup race on the Olympic course in Sydney.

 Working on improving their time for the Games, Lawlor and Gauthier paid little attention to rumours they might not actually make it to Sydney.

 "We were excited all summer and then we start hearing about these complications," said Lawlor. "I went from feeling like I had won the lottery to someone flushing the ticket down the toilet."

 MADE A MISTAKE

 The ICF had originally planned for just 10 countries to qualify for the Games, but then agreed it would increase the number. Somewhere along the way, the ICF said it made a mistake and the Canadians ran the risk of being left out.

 The Canadian Olympic Association protested the reversal and threatened to bring the matter to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport.

 But the matter was finally resolved Thursday and Lawlor was ecstatic to learn he would be on a flight to Sydney.

 "It wasn't just me, my parents were also going," he said. "They had all their plans made.

 "This is a huge relief."

 

 THE LAWLOR FILE

 - Name: Tyler Lawlor

 - Age: 27

 - Height: 5-foot-11

 - Weight: 165 lbs.

 - Birthplace: Sudbury.

 - Home town: Ottawa

 - Years on national team: 3

 - Background: Took up sport while working in a summer camp at age 19; Ranked No. 2 in Canada for two years with former partner Tim Stuempel; Teamed up with Benoit Gauthier of Mont-Rolland, Que., in January