A new velodrome in her hometown has brought Olympic track cycling champion Kelsey Mitchell back to the sport. Following her participation in bobsled for Canada at the Milan Cortina Games in February, the 32-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alberta, has returned to cycling at the recently opened Alberta Velodrome in Edmonton. The cycling track is part of the new $153-million Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre, which commenced operations in January and boasts one of only three 250-meter indoor UCI-sanctioned tracks in Canada. The Centre National De Cyclisme in Bromont, Quebec, was finalized in 2022.
Mitchell, who clinched women’s Olympic sprint gold in Tokyo in 2021 after being recruited into the sport through RBC Training Ground four years prior when she didn’t even own a bike, sought new challenges following her eighth-place finish in Paris in 2024. Exploring speedskating and bobsleigh, Mitchell teamed up with pilot Melissa Lotholz from Barrhead, Alberta, to secure the 13th spot in the women’s bob event in Cortina, Italy.
Upon returning to track cycling, Mitchell desired a more balanced environment, which she found at the Edmonton velodrome. The proximity of the hardwood track, where she trains three days a week, being just 30 minutes away from her residence in Sherwood Park, allows her to maintain a connection with her family and friends. Mitchell also addressed a long-standing leg issue with a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in April, aiming to meet the national standard time by August 31 to qualify for the Canadian team.
If selected for Canada’s team heading to Los Angeles in 2028, Mitchell would become a four-time Olympian in a seven-year span. The Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre, which is linked with the existing Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre, is a hub for both elite and recreational athletes, embodying Mitchell’s passion for promoting the sport to a wider audience. Mitchell values the facility’s presence in Alberta, its altitude advantage for speed, and its role in introducing track cycling to the public, fostering hope for the future of sports in Canada by expanding access to velodromes.