After the universities, it was the equipment manufacturers who began to take an interest in this fast-rising Quebecer. With a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in hand, Simone Plourde decided that the time had come to make the jump to the professionals, even if she could still play two seasons in the NCAA.
“It’s such a hit or miss, there’s a risk of running another season. You don’t want to lose your value. Mine was high, I decided to move on to things a little more serious. With the Olympic year coming up, I wanted to take a chance and focus 100% on that. »
It therefore agreed with Nike on a contract until 2028. At the same time, the coach American Pete Julian invited her to join the Nike Union Athletics Club, located on the grounds of the world headquarters of the famous crochet brand near Portland, Oregon. The advantages offered by this prestigious group, made up of only 12 runners, appealed to her, like her teammate at Utah, Emily Venters.
Julian was Alberto Salazar’s deputy at the defunct Nike Oregon Project, which was closed after the latter’s four-year suspension for doping practices. Salazar was later disbarred for life by the United States Center of SafeSport due to emotional and sexual misconduct.
Obviously, I had that in mind. I must have done my research on this and talked to Pete about it. The reality is that they are two completely different people. It just has nothing to do with Alberto’s story.
Simone Plourde
“At the time, a few athletes (from the Oregon Project) joined Union Athletics, but there are none today,” explains the athlete. I have a head on my shoulders. If anything like that ever happens in this group, I’m out of there. My contract with Nike would still be valid. »
After a tour of the state-of-the-art facilities in Portland in June, the runner won gold at the Montreal Classic, improving her Quebec record by more than two seconds. She was wearing spikes that were too small after having lost hers during the trip…
Two weeks later, Plourde recorded a time of 4:06.47 – another record – at the Harry Jerome Classic in Vancouver. Silver medalist at the Canadian championships, she qualified for her first World Championships, in Budapest, where she stopped in series with the 40e time (4 min 07.04).
At the gates of the Olympic Games
Six months after moving to Portland, Simone Plourde feels in the shape of her life. In February, she clocked the third Canadian time in history in the indoor mile at the prestigious Millrose Games in New York. “I finished seventh out of 16 even though I was the one with the slowest registration time. I beat (Canadian champion) Lucia Stafford and (American) Josette Andrews, famous runners that I never thought I would beat, honestly. »
Her time earned her a participation in her first indoor Worlds, in Glasgow, where she regretted having run in the second lane in her series, which increased the distance covered. “At this level, you can’t afford to make that kind of mistake. It was a learning experience. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SIMONE PLOURDE
Simone Plourde (2) at her first indoor Worlds, in Glasgow
For now, she is one of the athletes qualified for the 1500m of the Paris Olympic Games by virtue of her world ranking. Ideally, she would achieve the automatic standard of 4:2.50, but she believes in her ability to improve her status in the points race.
“I try to keep my feet on the ground as much as possible and just think about the upcoming competition. There’s definitely a lot of stress associated with an Olympic year. Honestly, I trust. »
Whatever the track, Simone Plourde is ready for the next turn.
Read “The turns of Simone Plourde”
Paris will pass through Montreal
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SIMONE PLOURDE
Smiling after another record in the 5000m Friday evening in California
Simone Plourde was right to say she was in the shape of her life. Two days after the interview, she ran another personal best, this time in the 5,000m, at the Bryan Clay Invitational, where she kicked off her outdoor season Friday night in California. Fourth in the event, she recorded a time of 15 min 13.57, almost eight seconds better than her time achieved at the same competition a year earlier.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” rejoiced the woman who approached this event more like training. “It’s only April, the outdoor season is only just beginning and this race is a good indicator of the work done in the last few weeks. The goal was to stay as relaxed as possible and finish strong in the last kilometer. »
Note the enormous personal mark of Florence Caron, 17e in 15 min 32.22, she who subtracted more than two minutes from a time achieved in 2022. The athlete from La Malbaie toppled a 46-year-old Penn State record and moved to third place in Quebec in all time behind Émilie Mondor (14 min 59.68) and Plourde. Also noteworthy was the third place of Charles Philibert-Thiboutot the day before in the 10,000 m, with an improvement of more than 16 seconds from his own provincial record (27 min 54.66). His teammate Jean-Simon Desgagnés, 8e over 3000 m steeplechase at the last World Championships, for his part recorded a personal best in the 5000 m (13 min 33.38) to settle in third place in the Quebec rankings.
After an altitude training course of a few weeks in Utah, Simone Plourde will tackle 1500m events, including potentially that of the Prefontaine Classic, at the end of May, where she is first substitute. She should then take part in the 1000m of the Montreal Classic, a week before the Olympic selections presented at the same track at the Claude-Robillard sports complex.
reference: www.lapresse.ca