So what would have the odds been five years ago to suggest a pair of South Delta rowers would not only be going to the Olympic Games but end up competing in the same shell as well?
It's an accomplishment we may never see again in this community. Brendan Hodge and Maxwell Lattimer will be doing just that for Canada when the lightweight fours event gets underway on Saturday at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Rio.
The pair are at different stages of their careers.
Hodge, 31, put his law career on hold when he returned from an eight-year hiatus to chase his Olympic dream.
Lattimer, 23, got his first taste of rowing 10 years ago at Vancouver College and has been on the fast track since to earn national team status. Joining Ontario's Nicolas Pratt and
Eric Woelfl, the "Northern Lights" crew won gold at last summer's Pan Am Games, then qualified for Rio in dramatic fashion by placing 11th overall at the World Championships, securing the final spot.
Lattimer described the latter accomplishment as the "most stressful" racing experience of his life as three years of training came
down to one race.
The South Delta contingent in Rio will also include field hockey player Mark Pearson and swimmer Markus Thormeyer.
This will be Pearson's second Olympics, having been part of the Canadian team in Beijing back in 2008. The former Delta Falcon has earned over 190 caps as a member of the national team.
Thormeyer is ahead of schedule as one of Canada's top up-andcoming swimmers. At just 18, this could be the first of three Olympics for the former Winskill Dolphin star.Here's a rundown of South
Delta's four Olympians: Brendan Hodge Age: 31 Hometown: Tsawwassen Sport: rowing Event: lightweight fours Competition schedule: Aug. 6 (heats), Aug. 7 (repecharge), Aug. 9 (semi-finals), Aug 11 (A and B finals). Twitter handle: @bean_ho
Maxwell Lattimer Age: 23 Hometown: Ladner Sport: rowing Event: lightweight fours Competition schedule: Aug. 6 (heats), Aug. 7 (repecharge), Aug. 9 (semi-finals), Aug 11 (A and B finals).
Twitter handle: @maxwellLattimer
Mark Pearson Age: 29 Hometown: Tsawwassen Sport: field hockey Competition days: Aug. 6 (Germany), Aug. 8 (Argentina), Aug. 9 (Netherlands), Aug. 11 (Ireland), Aug. 12 (India).
Twitter handle: @Markajp19
Markus Thormeyer Age: 18 Hometown: Tsawwassen Sport: swimming Event: 4x100 freestyle relay Competition schedule: Aug. 7 Twitter handle: @MarkusThor2
