Virtue began the last decade in a way many could never imagine; standing on a podium next to her figure skating partner, Scott Moir, accepting an Olympic gold medal.
For Virtue, that moment at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics feels like a lifetime ago and now, as she enters a new decade, she has left skating behind but is certain her story is far from over.
Many consider the beginning of her story to be 10 years ago, when a determined 20-year-old Virtue was telling herself, “I am unstoppable,” as she held down her nerves and stepped on the ice. She won not only her first Olympic gold medal, but the adoration of Canadians everywhere.
“To be honest, I think I convinced myself that only the 14,000 people in the arena were watching,” said Virtue, unaware then of the impact her skating would have on Canada.
Ahead of her SOAR keynote address at Carleton University on Jan. 17, Virtue sat down with the Charlatan to discuss her phenomenal ice dancing career, personal goals and aspirations, and what’s next for Canada’s beloved ice queen in the next decade.
“The fact that I’ve been given this platform is a great opportunity, and I feel a sense of duty to make good of it,” said Virtue. “By sharing our story and hopefully inspiring the next generation, about finding a passion or pursuing something that is meaningful to you.”
As the most decorated figure skater of all time, Virtue has accomplished so much before the age of 30. When she announced her retirement from skating last year, she left many people, including herself, wondering: what would she do next?
“Skating has dominated my life for two decades,” said Virtue. “I feel like I can now redefine what success looks like to me, what happiness looks like. I can fail, and I will, and that’s okay, but I find the whole thing can be invigorating—even if it’s daunting too.”
“I think the big transition of going from a competitive athlete to this, is having to recalibrate after missing that structure and having a single purpose to pursue one goal for such a long, long time.”
What she is likely feeling is known by sports psychologists as the “post-Olympic comedown,” when retired athletes realize the sport that has defined them every day of their life, no longer does.
Virtue said she hasn’t skated since the final performance of her and Moir’s last tour in November 2019. This comes as a surprise, considering she has spent the majority of her life collecting awards for her skills on the ice.
But for Virtue, it isn’t about being remembered for the medals she has won. In fact, she says her Olympic gold medals reside in a drawer somewhere at her home.
“I want to be remembered for being a good human. I don’t care that I was good at ice dance. It represented a goal and a commitment to working to achieve something,” said Virtue. “But it’s so much bigger than that. It’s about how you can make people feel.”
And as she steps into this new decade without her skates, it is clear Virtue will strive to achieve even more in her lifetime than Olympic titles. And if she has doubts, she will remind herself just as she did on the rink when she felt like giving up: “I am unstoppable.”
Featured image by Sarah Sibley.
