He is talented, charismatic and ambitious. Laurent Lavigne has it all. At 22, he is exactly where he wanted to be. Or almost. The most promising kayaker in the country still has a lot to do, but above all he wants to become the best version of himself.

It was in 2019, in Lac-Beauport. Lavigne was participating in the Provincial Long Distance Championship. Like his rivals, he had 18 kilometers to go. It was at the beginning of October. It was windy. It was cold. That day, Lavigne won the U18 race. By almost seven minutes.

“That was the first time I watched him row and I was like, ‘Oh boy! It will be something”, remembers his teammate Pierre-Luc Poulin. He’s not just big and strong. I saw that he was tough. »

Three and a half years later, Lavigne is rowing in the same boat as Poulin. At the last World Championships, their K4 took fifth place. A historic result for Canada.

When he showed up in the cafeteria reserved for athletes in the Olympic pool, Laurent Lavigne had just finished his first training session of the day. He showed up with a blue short-sleeved shirt, damp hair, still a little short of breath, a shoulder bag and a Gatorade water bottle.

Even if he is not the most talkative, the Trifluvien attracts attention when he enters a room. The 6’3″ and 215 lb blue-eyed guy maintains a build similar to that of the King of Asgard.

The work underway on Île Sainte-Hélène to prepare for the Canadian Grand Prix served as the premise for a long discussion. Lavigne will be there, at the edge of the track, with her father and brother. While the patriarch has always dropped in to watch the races on Sundays, he and his brother have become enthusiasts thanks to the Drive to Survive series. The “drama” fascinated him.

That, and the desire to understand. To recognize yourself through these extraordinary athletes.

Lavigne is convinced that an athlete, by working hard and making the right choices, can reach their full potential, despite overwhelming doubts. It feeds a fascination for the athlete. This almost superhuman machine whose daily life is a constantly evolving manual on how to turn a process into a triumph. It is the work of a lifetime and the kayaker is ready to dedicate his own to it.

Of a rather reserved nature, he pays attention to detail. He captures and assimilates everything that could help him become the best athlete possible. “He’s always been more laid back, and that’s something I admire,” says Albert, his brother who is four years older than him. He doesn’t get angry easily. He is able to take a step back and analyze each situation well. »

At the end of last season, Laurent Lavigne suffered a serious shoulder injury. Today, he is 100%, he swears. In fact, he is “physically and mentally healthy,” he said. As if the two went hand in hand. Probably because one does not go without the other.

Lavigne is not the first athlete in his cohort to take jealous care of his mental health. “Maybe even more than physical.” Because if your fitness is 100% and your mind is 50%, it will be impossible to completely use your fitness to its full potential. »

Other 22-year-old athletes, such as tennis player Bianca Andreescu and skater Marjorie Lajoie, among others, have recently expressed how mental balance is necessary for their success. “We are more aware. And the sport is also changing,” he points out.

Laurent Lavigne is one of those who would probably have succeeded in any field. Mainly because he was loved, cherished and framed.

Her brother Albert, a former top kayaker, gives their parents a lot of credit: “They have always been about diversity. On weekends, we often missed Saturday training because we were going to the chalet, but to play sports. It meant that our life didn’t revolve around kayaking. We never had any pressure. »

Today, Laurent Lavigne is studying administration at the Université de Sherbrooke campus in Longueuil. Recently, the student-athlete received a $2,000 excellence scholarship from the Sports-Studies Alliance for his performance on the water and in the classroom.

In the Canadian K4, Laurent Lavigne is the youngest. His teammates are three, four and five years older.

From his local club on the Saint-Maurice, Lavigne was predestined to climb the ladder quickly. He has been identified for some time as the future of Canadian kayaking.

Soon, it will be his turn to welcome, support and guide the generation that will succeed that of Pierre-Luc Poulin and company. When they take off, Lavigne will always be there. Probably at the top of his game. “When I look past 2024, I will still be young. That’s exciting. As long as I love kayaking, I will continue. »

For his part, Poulin is not worried about the idea of ​​​​eventually having to leave the keys of the boat to his teammate: “He is a team player. The team always comes first, breathes Poulin. He also has a naivety, but a good naivety. In the sense that in his mind, anything is doable. When it’s time to race, there’s nothing left that exists. »

The Canadian crew members are not fond of discussions about the future. Especially when it comes to the Olympics. Whether it is to avoid warding off bad luck or to limit distractions, they are focusing more on the Worlds in August, in Germany.

It remains that it is almost impossible not to think of the Olympic Games in Paris. In a year, Laurent Lavigne could participate in his first Games.

However, the short term goal is to be “in the game”. Translation: to be among the contenders in every race.

The sporting aspect can be controlled. After all, he is the master of his own destiny. For him, “the challenge will be the scale of things.”

“The Olympics will be a race, but with a much greater weight, but that also makes it more exciting, he adds, but it’s true that it plays a little in the head. »

It is for this reason that his entourage refuses to talk to him about it too often: “The goal is not to impose additional pressure on him. We know it will be a big step, so there is no point in adding more,” says Albert Lavigne.

Laurent Lavigne cherishes the Olympic dream, but also that of becoming the ultimate version of himself. And he believes that one day he will be able to do it. “That’s the goal. »

He sees the future with a smile. “I try not to think about it too much, but in a year I want to be the best I can be. At each competition, you tell yourself that at the next one, you will be even better. »

Back outside, in the scorching climate of the end of May, in order to pick up his equipment, there was still talk of the Grand Prix.

Who will win?

“Ah… Fernando Alonso. Here we go with Alonso! »