Ever since childhood, Doug Vandor dreamt about an Olympic gold medal. When he retired from the national rowing team, this athlete from Dewittville experienced a difficult transition into a post-athletic career. Three years later, he says he has found an exciting new passion.
« I have met a number of amateur and professional athletes who have experienced the same situation, » remarked Vandor. We’re not ready to stop. » Employed by the Royal Bank of Canada and living in Vancouver, Vandor recently spoke to the CBC about the situation. He agreed to talk again with the Saint-François about the break between his life as an athlete and that of an employee.
« Rowing was my passion. I was excited every morning to get up and spend the day at the lake, » he said. « I was used to being one of the best in my sport. I was afraid of not finding a new passion that would allow me to be as accomplished. »
He retired in 2013 a year after participating in the London Olympics, where he placed 14th in the men’s lightweight double sculls event. He thought he was ready to hang up his oars. But retiring at 39 is easy to say but harder to accept.
Luckily for Vandor, he has a master’s degree from McGill. But even with a good degree on his curriculum vitae, he felt nervous about the job market. « Even with my master’s degree, I felt hopeless, » he admitted. « I was entering the job market at 40 instead of 22-23 like other graduates. It was scary. »
He lived in Victoria, British Columbia for 13 years where the national rowing team is based. He still lives in the province but in Vancouver where he has not found a rowing club. Vandor does take advantage of the beautiful countryside to go hiking with his family.
See the positive
He has managed to bounce back thanks to the small pleasures of daily life, his spouse and a new addition to the family, a baby girl.
Vandor has also made sure to remain active. He believed that everything he was doing would eventually open a door . He has been working for RBC for two years. First he was at their head office whereas now he is taking a course in financial security.
« My aim is to be happy where I am in life, » emphasized Vandor. « I wanted to win gold when I was rowing. I am very happy with the choices I made to be an athlete. I expect the same for all my choices now. »
He is still close to sport in his new life. He did publicity for the national rowing and boxing teams for the Sotchi Olympics and the Pan American Games in Toronto. He still does not know if he will be involved this summer in Rio, Brazil.
Who is Doug Vandor?
-He ranked 14th at the 2012 London Olympics with Morgan Jarvis in the men’s lightweight double sculls event;
-6th in the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Cameron Sylvester in the men’s lightweight double sculls event;
-Alternate for the team of lightweight four at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens;
-Two-time world championship bronze medalist (2005 – lightweight quad sculls event and 2002 – lightweight four event);
-First international competition at the World Championships in 2001 in Switzerland.
Translated by Cathleen Johnston
