An event aimed at identifying future Olympic talent is coming back to Brock University this weekend.

The first stop for RBC Training Ground in Ontario is Brock’s Sports Performance Centre on Saturday, March 9 at 9 a.m.

Training Ground aims to provide up-and-coming athletes a chance to compete in Canada’s Olympic talent pool. It has been well attended by Brock University’s varsity athletes and those from across the Niagara region over the past two years.

“That trend will continue at this combine,” said Steve Lidstone, Associate Director Performance for Brock Sports. “We have had athletes from our varsity rowing, wrestling, rugby, track and field and lacrosse teams as well as Niagara high school and club athletes, who train as part of Brock Sports Performance’s Community Program, perform well and receive an invite to the regional combines.”

The event measures athletes for anthropometric suitability, and then they’re asked to perform speed, power, strength and endurance benchmark tests in front of officials from the Canadian Olympic Committee and 11 national sport organizations in hopes of being discovered and directed toward an Olympic sport.

A total of 30 athletes identified in the Training Ground events across the country will be named RBC Future Olympians and receive funding to chase their dreams.

Last year, several athletes from Niagara were discovered to have high performance potential including high school track and field athlete Trinity Tutti, of Welland, and women’s rugby player Kendra Cousineau, of Port Colborne.

RBC Training Ground is free and open to all athletes wishing to test their might. To register, visit cbc.ca/olympics/trainingground

“Visiting athletes will notice our professionalism and the energy put forth by all Brock staff and Brock Sports Performance staff,” said Lidstone. “Brock University takes a vested interest in developing local athletes and helping them to achieve their Olympic dreams.”