Mark DE JONGE (CAN)

CACanada
Age:
40 years
Federation:
CANOE KAYAK CANADA
Mark de Jonge (CAN)

Biography

General Interest

Nicknames
Mucka (olympic.ca, 10 Aug 2014)
Hobbies
Hiking, outdoors activities. (cscatlantic.ca, 10 Aug 2014)
Injuries
In 2012 he broke a finger while training in the gym. (markdejonge.com, 22 Jan 2015)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"It is how you show up at the showdown that counts." [Homer Norton] (olympic.ca, 10 Aug 2014)
Other information
OLYMPIC MISS AND TIME OUT
He believes his failure to qualify for the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games was due to him combining training with holding down a full-time job as an engineer and studying for an engineering degree. "I found that to be a bit of a challenge, especially with all of the travelling. I was going away for a month at a time while trying to learn some pretty hard material. It was a big challenge." He stepped back from the sport after failing to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games, but made a comeback in 2011. (cbc.ca, 14 Jul 2015; examiner.com, 27 Feb 2016)

ENGINEERING TRAINING
He used his engineering skills to improve his training ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games. Some of his strategies include measuring stroke rates and expended power in the water, charting gym workouts and using a computer to measure his focus levels. "One of the great things about engineering is that it teaches you to solve problems and to think critically. [After getting my engineering degree] I've been a lot more deliberate and serious about my approach." (torontosun.com, 20 Aug 2015)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He has served on the board of directors of the Maskwa Aquatic Club in Halifax, NS, Canada. He was also a mentor for a number of athletes in the lead-up to the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, ON, Canada, as part of a programme led by a Canadian bank. (markdejonge.com, 22 Jan 2015)

Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport?
He began paddling at age 13 at Maskwa Aquatic Club in Halifax, NS, Canada.
Why this sport?
His parents registered him with the Maskwa Aquatic Club so he could meet more children his own age.
Club / Team
Maskwa Aquatic Club: Halifax, NS, CAN
Name of coach
Frederic Jobin [personal]
Training Regime
He trains in Florida in the winter months and moves back to Canada in May when the local season starts.

Further Personal Information

Date of birth
15 February 1984
Height
180 cm
Weight
87 kg
Marital status
Married
Residence
Halifax, NS, CAN
Occupation
Athlete, Engineer
Languages
English
Higher education
Civil Engineering - Dalhousie University: Halifax, NS, CAN