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Heather Moyse: Twice Olympic Gold Medalist in Bobsleigh and an Exceptional Achiever reveals her Workout, Diet and Beauty Secrets

Namita Nayyar (WF Team)

Heather Moyse is a Canadian athlete and two-time Olympic gold medalist, representing Canada in international competition as a bobsledder, rugby union player, and track cyclist and competing at the Canadian intercollegiate level in rugby, soccer and track and field.

Heather was a two-time Female Athlete of the Year at Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside, Prince Edward Island where she competed in soccer, basketball, rugby and track and field. She was inducted into the University of Waterloo Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Moyse received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award as P.E.I.’s outstanding athlete in 2006 and 2010, was named Prince Edward Island’s Senior Female Athlete of the Year for both 2005, 2006 and 2010 and has won ten Sport P.E.I. awards in total since 1998.

In 2010, Moyse and bobsled pilot Kaillie Humphries were nominated as Sportswoman of the Year by the American Women’s Sports Foundation in the Team category. Heather also received the 2010 University of Waterloo Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Young Alumni Award. On April 14, 2011 she was named 2010 Ontario Female Athlete of the Year, making her one of the only, if not the only, athletes to win the same award in two provinces in the same year. In 2012, she was named by Sportsnet Magazine as one of the 30 Most Beautiful Athletes on the Planet.

Describing two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Heather Moyse in one phrase is a difficult task, as she is so much to so many: multi-sport national athlete, inspirational speaker, ambassador, bionic woman, philanthropist, role model, and above all, Champion.

Heather lives by her personal motto, “Believe in the possibilities”, and inspires people all around the world with her life story and her life philosophies. From the small Prince Edward Island town of Summerside to the top of the Olympic podium, Heather Moyse, whom some have suggested is Canada’s best ever all-round female athlete, has accomplished the unlikely not once, not twice, but multiple times by believing in those very possibilities.

Four months after climbing into a bobsleigh for the first time, Heather represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. A fourth place finish by the narrowest of margins wouldn’t suffice for this fierce competitor, creating the drive to ‘finish the job’. So after taking a year to finish her Masters degree in occupational therapy, she returned to the bobsleigh track. Heather first captured the nation’s attention in 2010 while standing on top of the Olympic podium with Calgary-native Kaillie Humphries. After setting start records all over Europe on the World Cup circuit, the electrifying duo made Canadian history on home soil at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics after bombing down the track to Canada’s first-ever gold medal.

But that is not all. Heather has also represented Canada on the National Senior Women’s Rugby team in 22 international rugby games and 4 international rugby sevens tournaments. Heather was the leading try-scorer in both the 2006 and 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cups, and was selected as one of only two females in the world to be International Rugby Anti-Doping Ambassadors.

Heather decided to try track cycling part of her rehabilitation program to heal a serious ankle injury sustained in a rugby match. After clipping into pedals for the first time in June 2011 and riding on a track for the first time in September 2011, she earned a spot to represent Canada in the Pan-American Cycling Championships in Argentina in March 2012, making track cycling her third national sport for Canada.


In the summer of 2012, Heather was approached by the national rugby AND bobsleigh federations about the possibility of her returning to their respective sports in anticipation of major upcoming events. However, in November 2012, she had to undergo invasive hip surgery. To most, this would be a setback and a reasonable reason to exit sport, but for this bionic woman it was the ultimate challenge, and Heather was re-motivated with intentions of representing her country in both rugby and bobsleigh within that next twelve months. Not only did Heather return to both sports, but she amazed the world by overcoming her hip injury to be the fastest she had ever been, securing her spot back in the Canada 1 bobsleigh. Pushing Kaillie to countless World Cup podiums, there was nothing that this unparalleled athlete couldn’t do. Heather and Kaillie teamed up to successfully defend their gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in a thrilling come-from-behind victory on the final run which earned them the honour of carrying Canada’s flag into the Closing Ceremonies.

Regardless of whom Heather is pushing on the icy chutes or tackling on the rugby pitch, she has a track record of medal-winning performances and start records around the world. Not only does Heather believe that sport is an amazing means to discover one’s potential in the face of challenges, but also that it is an ideal medium for development at the individual, community, and national levels. Demonstrating an innate desire to help those less fortunate, in the summer of 1998 Heather was the Program Director for a summer camp for people of varying disabilities. In 2001, Heather was selected to serve as a Disability Sports Program Officer with Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago. She developed and established a camp for children who are deaf or hearing-impaired from islands across the Caribbean called Camp ABLE (Active Bodies, Leadership, and Esteem).

Heather remained in Trinidad and Tobago for almost three years doing other work with the Paralympic Association, Disabled People’s International, and the Trinidad and Tobago Rugby Union, before returning to Canada to do her Masters degree.

Giving back to her community and inspiring others is also an important part of Heather’s life. As she describes it, she may own the medals, but she won them for her country and wants to share them and her inspirational story with as many as she can. But beyond her many appearances and speaking engagements, Heather is involved in a number of fund-raising initiatives, has been a member-at-large for the Commonwealth Game Canada since 2002, an Athlete Ambassador for the charity Right to Play, has been named one of thirty-seven Athlete Role Models from around the world for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, and is actively involved with Camp Triumph on PEI, a unique residential camp for children who have family members with chronic illness or disability. A proud Summerside native and Prince Edward Islander, Heather continually recognizes the extraordinary support that her hometown and home province gives her, and gives back as much as she can to the community that contributed so much to making her the person and athlete that she is today.

“Believe in the possibilities.” To some, it’s an inspirational quote, but for two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Heather Moyse, it’s a way of life. Heather’s incredible record of excellence has caught the eye of many, and, as an exemplary role model in both sport and life, Heather is an inspiration to people of all ages, and stands as a symbol of what it is to be a true leader and champion.

Awards for Heather Moyse

Achievements in the sports of Bobsleigh

Olympics

World Championships

World Cup

Rugby

Rugby World Cup:

Rugby Sevens World Cup:

 

Track Cycling

 

PanAm Cycling Championships:

Track

Moyse represented Prince Edward Island as a sprinter at the 1997 Canada Games in Brandon, Manitoba and still holds the PEI Senior Ladies record in triple jump. She held the PEI Senior Ladies record in the 200m from 1996 until 2013. At the University of Waterloo, she competed for four years at the CIAU Championships and amassed ten OUA medals and 2 CIAU bronze medals in her career. During the 2000 OUA championship, Moyse won a 300M gold and 60M silver to lead Waterloo to a third-place medal and was named the OUA Track MVP. She also set five university track records, four of which stood as of September 2012. Moyse was named Waterloo’s Track & Field and Overall Female Rookie of the Year in 1996–97 and Women’s Track & Field Team MVP in 1997–98.

Soccer

In 1996–97, Moyse played one year of varsity soccer for the University of Waterloo while also competing in track & field.

 

Awards, Honours & Recognitions

Full Interview on Next Page!

All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.

All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness


Heather Moyse is two-time Olympic gold medalist in the sports of Bobsleigh. She is an exceptional achiever in the sports of track cyclist, union rugby, soccer & track and field. She is multiple award winner. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have been playing different sports since your earlier youth. You reached the pinnacle of success on winning Gold at the two-woman event in the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2014 Winter Olympics in the sports of Bobsleigh. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

I did not actually start training or lifting weights until I was twenty-seven years old, at which time I was faced with the challenge of competing at the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino. I believe that having grown up playing a number of different sports was a big contributing factor to my general athletic ability, enabling me to adapt to new physical challenges well. The typical qualities that it takes to be successful in life also apply, however, such as perspective, focus, commitment, perseverance, hard work… I also believe that I have been blessed with an amazing support system in my family, who wouldn’t have minded one way or another whether or not I pursued an Olympic goal, as long as I was happy, pursuing something with passion!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have selected a sport where while competing in Bobsleigh, it being a team sport, requires a lot of cohesiveness and rhythm between the players to finally succeed, how do you achieve that?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Connections between some people come easier than between others, but, ultimately, the timing comes from practice and really paying attention to your teammate – learning how they think, how they move. The more you know about the other person, the more you can figure out how and where you can contribute and add value to the team.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You earned your Bachelor of Science in Honours Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s Degree in occupational therapy from University of Toronto. How has this educational background helped you excel in your sports career?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

I think education is an important part of development, in general. But those particular degrees were able to give me better understanding of how the body works, and occupational therapy, specifically, taught me about adapting activities to push past limitations. Having worked with people with disabilities, I have developed an ability to see situations from different perspectives, and consider this to be a mental strength of mine that has helped both me and my teammates (and others) through difficult times.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You had exceptional career achievements in Rugby Union, Cycling, as a Track Athlete and in Soccer, apart from Bobsleigh. How you keep focused on different sports and excel in all of them you participate which has such varied requirement of sporting and physical endurance skills for each one of them?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

As I mentioned above, I believe that playing a number of sports growing up turned me into a well-rounded athlete. There are good sport-specific athletes (ie. good bobsledders or good rugby players) who aren’t necessarily good athletes in general. And there are very athletic people who never master the sport-specific skills in a particular sport in order to make it to the elite level in that sport (although they tend to adapt more quickly to learning new physical tasks). For me, I was fortunate to have a good base of athleticism, and the training definitely overlaps. The only difference is that I just have to put more focus on endurance while training for certain sports (ie. rugby), knowing that my strength acquired from training from bobsleigh, for example, would carry-over.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

How did you feel before and after winning Gold at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Bobsleigh two-woman event?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Before: I felt ready and excited. Immediately prior to stepping on the track I felt nervous. But I always feel nervous before a race – an indication to myself that I actually care about doing well.

During (between the two days of competition when we were losing): I felt reflective. Of all the work that we had put in to get to that point. Of all the rehabilitation I had done over the previous year to recover from hip surgery to get to that point. Of the fact that we cannot control what other teams do, but can only control ourselves – our own preparation, program, perspective…

After: I’m not sure if I can put that feeling into words! Overwhelmed with pride in having executed what we set out to accomplish! Overwhelmed with national pride! Overwhelming and surreal seem to be two good words to help sum it up!

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Ms. Namita Nayyar:

What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

One of my favourite heavy lifts is the rack squat (or bottom-up squat), and then super-set those squats immediately with box jumps. Core strength is extremely important (which is not just about having tight abs), so planks are great (if done properly). When preparing for a bobsleigh season (and not in Calgary), I have been known to push cars! 🙂 It puts me in the same position I need to be in in order to push a sled, and it provides great resistance!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Sometimes I think that people focus too much on their diet, and forget to simply have a healthy relationship with food! I don’t really restrict anything in my diet, but I definitely know the food items that I need to make sure my training is effective. When I’m training, I eat a ton of protein (to help regenerate muscles after training) and complex carbs (to give me enough slow-burning energy to help me get through the day of training). People don’t realize that fats are important as well. Yes, I DO eat dessert (and am known for having a sweet tooth)! But I make sure that I eat the food that is actually going to contribute to my athletic success first! My favourite meals?!…. Meat lasagna or grilled steak/salmon with fries or garlic mashed potatoes, and a Greek salad with no olives. (I’ve never liked olives!) I also make sure that I’m taking minerals, vitamins, and fish oil, and Biosteel is my sports drink of choice (and my protein shake post workout) because it’s delicious AND is tested (so safe to drink for athletes who get drug tested on a regular basis).

 

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

In 2012, you were named by Sportsnet Magazine as one of the 30 Most Beautiful Athletes on the Planet. You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hair to make them look so stunning? Any special treatment to protect your skin in cold conditions?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

I wish I had a good answer for this. It’s only recently that I’ve starting trying skincare regimes and I am still experimenting with different things. I am really just trying to get in the habit of putting moisturizer on! I do, however, try to use a good quality moisturizer that absorbs quickly into my skin so that it doesn’t leave my skin looking greasy. It’s a work in progress! As for my hair, lately I’ve been using shampoo and conditioner (just on the ends) that is sulfate- and paraben-free. But I will use almost anything (except the stuff found in hotels because I usually can’t stand the perfumy smell of them)!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding girls taking career in sports of Bobsleigh who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in the sports of Bobsleigh?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Be yourself throughout the process, and make your decisions with the thought of having no regrets to look back on later. Don’t let anyone make you believe that you can’t make it. Strength and speed! To be successful in the sport of bobsleigh (as a brakeman), you need to have both strength AND speed! Having just one and not the other will probably not get you very far, especially if it’s a competitive season leading up to an Olympics, when the field of competition is deeper. You need to be strong to overcome inertia to get the sled moving from a standstill. And the more speed you have, the farther you can run down the hill and, therefore, the longer you can continue applying pressure to the sled, causing it to accelerate to a faster velocity than you would have gotten had you gotten into the sled sooner. So the focus in training should be about explosive power! How quickly can you move a heavy weight?! It’s a fun challenge! You also should put yourself in a mentally healthy environment – surrounded by supportive people in your life – in which you can get the most out of your training!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You on November 21st, 2012 had hip surgery to repair a torn labrum, shave off a couple of bone spurs on the head of your femur, and shave off the front part of your hip socket. In 2014 you excelled in the sport of Bobsleigh and won the Gold at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. How you were able to overcome such a physical injury/setback and what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Seemingly miraculous recoveries have to do with not giving up, believing in the possibilities (my motto), and having a good team. Not giving up means being diligent, and treating your rehab as if it’s your job – not skipping any steps in the process, no matter how good you may feel. You won’t get very far in the pursuit of any goal if you don’t actually believe, deep down, that it is actually a goal that’s possible to achieve. And your team – surgeon, therapists, trainer, friends/family – is extremely important. Do your research yourself with people who also believe in the possibilities – your surgeon, therapists, trainer, friends/family. There are never any guarantees when pursuing a goal, but it sure is fun to see how close you can get!

 

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Ms. Namita Nayyar:

Who has been your greatest influencer and motivator in your success in the field of your career in competitive Bobsleigh?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

One of the biggest motivators for me was when I overheard someone saying to a bobsleigh pilot/driver that they shouldn’t rely on me for the Olympics because it was my first year in the sport! There are a lot of small ‘p’ politics in sport, and I was finding it to be a bit ridiculous and difficult to deal with. And at one point when I was feeling pressure to win a medal, I started questioning if continuing in pursuit of a medal at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 was really worth it. My Dad just casually said that he never thought it was about the medals for me… He said he would support me with whatever decision I made, but said he always thought it was more about how I could positively influence the lives of other people. He told me to think of how many people I could inspire with my journey. And that’s when I realized that it was more about the value that I could add to the lives of others! The birth of my second motto: “Live to inspire!”

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have been associated with as Disability Sports Program Officer in Trinidad and Tobago and number of other charities which are all dear to your heart, tell us how you have been able to achieve and quench your thirst of giving back to the society through this endeavor of your?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Yes, I definitely feel an inner need to contribute and give back to my community. Camp Triumph, the Boys and Girls Club, and Right To Play are all charities that are very close to my heart. Although I was given an athletic gift, I was not solely put on this earth to compete and win medals. That is not my purpose. I was put on this earth to inspire and motivate others – to help people push past real or perceived barriers and realize their potential. But those two Olympic gold medals have provided a platform on which I can now do that on a much bigger scale. I am now doing lots of motivational speaking at national and regional conferences, AGMs, retreats, fundraisers, banquets, etc., and am now starting to do personal coaching/mentoring and workshops. I get really excited about knowing that I am adding value to others!

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

You have been awarded the 2010 Ontario Female Athlete of the Year and many other awards. Tell us how these awards bestow upon you additional responsibility towards the sports of Bobsleigh and other sports?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

I believe when anyone receives an award which is made public, it turns that person into someone who will be watched by others, making him/her someone whom people may attempt to emulate. A role model, per se. Unfortunately, not all role models are positive ones; they live their life with no thought of consequence to their actions, or how it may influence others. I have won a number of awards, but it is the awards that reflect my character (and not just my athletic ability) that mean the most to me, for example, The Randy Starkman Olympian Humanitarian Award, The Queen’s Jubilee Medal, The Order of PEI… Also being named one of two female athletes to be World Rugby Anti-Doping Ambassadors, as well as an Athlete Role Model for the Youth Olympic Games (in 2014) were recognitions that meant a lot to me.

Ms. Namita Nayyar:

What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Heather Moyse:

Thank you to Womenfitness.net for providing a place online for women to go for answers. I’d just like to say to all site visitors…. We are all capable of way more than we give ourselves credit for! So believe in the possibilities of what you could accomplish if you focus, plan and don’t give up!

To know more about Heather Moyse check her out at: http://www.heathermoyse.com

To check out the latest about Heather Moyse, check out her social network:

Women Fitness Team thanks Heather Moyse for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and also wish to thank Chris Dornan from Own the Podium who made this interview happen.

 

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All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.

All Written Content Copyright © 2017 Women Fitness
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