A brand-new velodrome constructed in her hometown has rekindled Olympic track cycling champion Kelsey Mitchell’s passion for 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 inaugurated Alberta Velodrome in Edmonton.
The cycling track forms a part of the newly built $153 million Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre, which commenced operations in January. This facility boasts one of only three 250-meter indoor UCI-sanctioned tracks in Canada. The Milton velodrome in Ontario, established for the 2015 Pan American Games, serves as the national team’s training hub.
In 2022, the Centre National De Cyclisme in Bromont, Quebec, was finalized. Mitchell clinched the gold medal in women’s Olympic sprint cycling in Tokyo in 2021, despite not owning a bike when she was recruited into the sport via RBC Training Ground four years prior.
Following an eighth-place finish in Paris in 2024, Mitchell experienced mental and physical exhaustion. She explored speedskating but found her leg strength more beneficial for bobsleigh pushing. Alongside pilot Melissa Lotholz from Barrhead, Alberta, Mitchell secured 13th place in the women’s bobsleigh event in Cortina, Italy.
Seeking a more balanced and diverse environment, Mitchell returned to track cycling, finding solace in the Edmonton velodrome. The proximity of the hardwood track, where she trains thrice a week, being just 30 minutes away from her residence in Sherwood Park, allows her to maintain close ties with her family and friends.
Post the Winter Olympics, Mitchell aimed to address a persistent power issue in her left leg through a platelet-rich plasma injection in April to regain strength. To secure a spot on the Canadian team, she must meet a national standard time, which she intends to attempt on August 31.
Mitchell expressed gratitude for the support she receives in Edmonton while striving to achieve her goal of rejoining the national team. Should she be selected for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, Mitchell would become a four-time Olympian within a seven-year span, joining a select group of 14 Canadian athletes who have competed in both Winter and Summer Games.
The integration of the Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre with the existing Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre adds to the appeal for Mitchell, who appreciates the diverse mix of elite and recreational athletes frequenting the facility. She highlighted the significance of the velodrome’s presence in Alberta, its altitude advantage, and its role in introducing track cycling to the public, fostering enthusiasm for the sport and enhancing the sports landscape in Canada.
