It's been a whirlwind for Guelph's Kiara Lylyk.
The 19-year-old got the call about three weeks ago that she will represent Canada at the Pan Am Games in Chile, coming on as an injury substitute.
Fresh off an appearance at the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships last weekend in North Carolina with Brevard College, Lylyk immediately flew to Canada to finish up training in Milton. On Wednesday, she heads to Santiago ahead of Friday's opening ceremony.
"I didn't really know what to think," the Centennial CVI grad told GuelphToday when asked her reaction to getting named to the team.
"I know it's a big deal, but I was also kind of intimidated in a way because I was in the mindset of being in the off season … but I could not turn down the opportunity."
Talk about a whirlwind couple of weeks, it's been a whirlwind couple of years.
Lylyk has been cycling competitively for three years, and it's taken her across the world already.
From Belgium, to France, the Netherlands and Tel Aviv, just to name a few places.
She has won multiple national titles at the junior level, and has gone to a junior world championship.
The former hockey player reached as high as midget 'AA' in Guelph. Lylyk had her eyes set on university hockey, but the pandemic altered her plans.
In the midst of COVID, she traded in her skates for a bike.
"I feel like I picked it up fast," she said. "There's kind of like a saying about a 'race brain' that's in cycling, and I feel like I just kind of had a brain to race, and I just really liked it. Training wasn't hard for me because I just loved riding my bike.
"I think the progression is kind of natural, and I've had a lot of good people around me, who helped me get to where I am and give me opportunities."
Now comes her biggest opportunity, in her first year at the elite level. Lylyk admits the short notice does present a challenge, but that's not taking away from the excitement for her first foray at a multi-sport competition.
"My mindset going in is to soak up the experience, learn from everyone," she said.
"I'm still pretty young, so hopefully there's more games to come, so really taking this as a learning experience more than putting a lot of pressure (on myself)."
