Editor’s note: Bellingham native Jonas Ecker is writing a diary for Cascadia Daily News as he heads to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, set for July 26-Aug. 11.
[ Read more: Sprint kayak racer gets down to business for Paris Olympics ]
Ecker, a 2021 Sehome High graduate and five-time Ski to Sea competitor, and Seattle’s Aaron Small are roommates and full-time University of Washington students. The pair qualified for Games’ sprint kayak Men’s K2 500-meter race and individually in the Men’s K1 1,000-meter race. Olympic heats begin Aug. 6. The medal race for the Men’s K2 is Aug. 9. The Men’s K1 final is Aug. 10. This is his first entry.
Week 1 – June 10, 2024
Although it has been almost 50 days since I qualified for my first U.S. Olympic Team in the sport of sprint kayaking, the achievement has yet to fully sink in. The surrealism of this accomplishment boils down to two key factors: the combination of the incredible stress and pressure going into the qualification competition, directly followed by a completely “normal” week of schoolwork once I returned home.
Each competition this year has been make or break for my Olympic dreams. Before my doubles partner, Aaron Small, and I could even attempt to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, we had to secure our spots on the U.S. National Team through the 2024 U.S. Canoe Sprint National and Olympic Team Trials in March, where only a win would be enough to allow us to advance to the next step in our qualification process. After winning our qualification event at U.S. Trials, we were named to the U.S. National Team and given the opportunity to compete for Olympic Quotas at the Continental Olympic Qualifiers (COQ) in April. During the buildup to both events both Aaron and I were each navigating full courseloads at the University of Washington, as if attempting to qualify for the Olympics was not enough pressure for two people.
When we crossed the finish line in first during the Men’s Double Kayak 500m final at the COQ, knowing we had qualified, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t think I have ever felt so relieved and overwhelmed at the same time at any point in my life. But being full-time students in addition to full-time athletes, the celebrations were relatively short-lived since we were due back on campus the following week. Upon returning to Seattle on Monday it was straight back into my normal routine: a 7 a.m. paddle followed by classes from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., another paddle at 3 p.m. and a lift at 5:30 p.m. It felt weird to “only” have the stress of school to worry about. With the next international competition not until mid-July, my focus can be entirely on the preparation rather than the finale.
Since qualifying in April it has been “business as usual” through the end of the academic year, with local races and finals sprinkled throughout. I have been lucky enough to compete in Ski to Sea (Bellingham) as well as the Ted Houk Memorial Regatta (Seattle).
On a local note, I will be competing at the Bellingham Regatta at Lake Padden on June 15. If you are at all interested in learning about canoe sprint, it is a great opportunity to come down and watch, as well as support the Bellingham Canoe and Kayak Sprint Team.
I am super excited to take you through my life week by week as I prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games this summer in Paris, France. My preparation has me racing and training both locally and abroad in order to be in the best condition possible for the Olympic program in August where I will be racing the Men’s Kayak Double 500-meter and Men’s Kayak Single 1,000-meter.
– Jonas Ecker
Ecker joins a handful of Bellingham-raised Olympians that include: Jake Riley, marathon, 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), Tokyo; Angeli VanLaanen, freestyle skiing halfpipe, 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi, Russia; Fred Luke, men’s javelin, 1972 Summer Olympics, Munich; Roy Rubin, men’s coxed four rowing, 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome; Paul Jessup, men’s discus, 1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles.
