Ama_May_June_2024

OCC Olympic Hopefuls

As the countdown to the 2024 Summer Olympics draws closer, aspiring Olympians are puing everything on the line to secure a coveted spot to represent their country in Paris. Among them are Kai and Kali Wilding. With three years of experience on the U.S. national kayak- ing team, Kai has competed worldwide in places like Hungary, Italy, Australia, and beyond. His younger sister, Kali, has been competing internationally as a U.S. representative since she was 14 and has been racing on the senior national team for the last three years. During their journey to Olympic qualification, they recently found themselves at Lake Natoma in northern California, competing against top-tier kay- akers nationwide during the U.S. Olympic team trials. “Ever since I was a kid, it’s always been a dream to go to the Olympics,” Kai says. As children of former Outrigger Canoe Club paddling Coach Guy Wilding and Shelley Oates-Wilding, a two-time Olympian for Australia in canoeing, the Wilding siblings were im- mersed in a culture of athletic excellence and water sports from an early age. With Oates-Wilding assum- ing the role of USA National Head Kayak Coach in early 2021, following in her husband's footsteps, the family's passion and dedication to the sport resonates personally and professionally. “My parents have always instilled the idea in my sister and me that if you’re going to do some- thing, you should do it to the best of your ability,” Kai says. “And so whenever we’ve tried anything,

we’ve tried to give it our all.” With that mindset driving them forward, it’s no surprise that the brother-sister duo contin- ues to excel in their sport. Kali’s recent first- place finish in the women’s K2 500m during Round 1 of the U.S. Olympic canoe-kayak team trials is a testament to her dedication and skill. She will now embark on the next stage of her Olympic journey at the 2024 Canoe Sprint Americas Continental Olympic Qualifier and Panam Championships in Sarasota, Florida, alongside her partner, Elena Wolgamot. At just 21 years old, Kali finds herself in a unique position. “It’s really exciting. It is special to be in this position so early, but it’s also a great start to hopefully another 10 years of just getting bet-

ter,” Kali says. “A lot to be grateful for, but a lot to look forward to.” In the lead-up to trials, Kali and Kai had the opportunity to train together in Hawai‘i, a dynamic Kai says was truly beneficial. In kayaking, where training predominantly oc- curs in individual boats, the presence of even

16 AMA | maY / june 2024

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