PARIS, France — Seattle Reign forward Jordyn Huitema was part of Team Canada's gold medal run at the Tokyo Olympics, seeing playing time in all its elimination games. However, she initially wasn't set to be part of the Olympic roster.
"I think it was the toughest point of my career," Huitema told KING 5 in an exclusive interview.
Months before the Olympics, Huitema was told she would only be an alternate and not a member of the official roster.
"It was it was a tough, it was a tough thing to decide in that moment as well. You really have to be selfless and and choose the team over yourself. And at that point, the squad wasn't rotational. So you know, I was taking that role on knowing that I wouldn't be in the team and then someone got injured," Huitema explained.
Once she and the team got into camp, however, Huitema received good news.
"They told me that the squad was rotational and because of COVID, the 18 was actually the full 22 and that they could choose the squad every game," Huitema said.
She eventually got her chance in Canada's third game of the tournament, and took full advantage.
"I played in every game after that point and played in the gold medal game and it was huge. It was a very big turning point for me to overcome that and to push through that," Huitema said.
Huitema ended up helping bring a gold medal back to her home country. Now, she is an integral part of a squad aiming to repeat in Paris.
"I think the goal is very clear as well this time and to be a part of something that's special is rare, very, very rare to be able to have the opportunity to go back to back with gold medals and and to defend a gold medal from the previous Olympics is huge. And something that I never take for granted anytime that I represent Canada," Huitema said.
Team Canada won its first match of the Olympics on Thursday morning against New Zealand. The team will also play on July 28 and 31 in the group stage before the quarterfinals begin.