Yes.
It was two years out from our Olympic qualifier which was in December 2015. A private sponsor—their son was a varsity team member of mine—reached out and offered to support me as I pursued the Olympic dream. I have told this individual, and I'll tell you today, that without that additional funding, I don't think I would have been able to step on the mats in Rio to able to do what I've done. For you, $2,500 a month might not seem like a lot, but to an amateur athlete at the time, it made a difference. I'm not currently sponsored by a food and beverage company, but many of my teammates are.
Talking to our reach on social media and the constantly evolving landscape of marketing today in Canada, I have about 13,000 followers on Instagram, which is one of the most prevalent social media platforms for our youth today. Only 6% of my audience is between the ages of 13 and 17. The access for youth today to be changed or influenced is tricky, and it's an interesting domain, but I believe the impact that Canadian athletes have on influencing kids to pursue healthy lifestyles, full balanced wellness mentally, physically, and emotionally through physical activity is paramount. That's why I'm here today sharing my story.
Thank you.