Brooklyn MCDOUGALL (CAN)
Olympian Artist – Painting: Paris 2024
Brooklyn McDougall is a Team Canada long track speed skater from Calgary, Alberta. Brooklyn started speed skating at 15 years old, transitioning from AAA hockey. Since transitioning sports, she attended two Junior World Championships, became 2021 women’s 500m Canadian Champion, made her Olympic debut in 2022, and was crowned women’s Team Sprint World Champion in 2023. Brooklyn is currently training to compete at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
During this time, Brooklyn graduated in June 2021 from the University of Calgary with a BSc in Biological Sciences With Distinction. She worked in stroke research at the Foothills Medical Centre for four years with multiple publications.
Giving back to her community has become a cornerstone of Brooklyn’s identity. Currently, she is an Athlete Mentor for Classroom Champions, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering children to thrive academically, socially and emotionally through the leadership of world-class athletes. Brooklyn is also a Board of Director for the Calgary Booster Club, which dedicates its resources to the next generation of athletes through awards and grant opportunities.
Art has always been a large part of Brooklyn’s life, and she is grateful to have grown up surrounded by amazing artists that have inspired her to create. Her passion for art was ignited by her grandfather and grandmother, who were both multi-media artists. They encouraged her to pursue art throughout school, including Advanced Placement in high school. Brooklyn took some time away from art to complete her degree but reignited her artistic passion when her grandfather passed away in 2019. Since then, art has provided Brooklyn with a creative outlet for her mental health and a great balance with speed skating.
ARTISTIC PROJECT
McDougall’s project The Trailblazers celebrates the stories of the first female Olympic champions of the Olympic Games Paris 1900 – Hélène de Pourtalès, Charlotte Cooper and Margaret Abbott. At what was the second edition of the modern Olympic Games, women were allowed to compete for the first time. However, these three athletes never received proper recognition at the time of their incredible feats. With her paintings and imaginary newspaper articles, McDougall pays tribute to these first female Olympic champions, as we celebrate Paris 2024, the first Games to achieve gender parity.
Tuesday, May 22, 1900 Hélène de Pourtalès: The First One. Mixed-media painting on canvas
Wednesday, July 11, 1900 Charlotte Cooper: The Golden Racquet. Mixed-media painting on canvas
Thursday, October 3, 1900 Margaret Abbott: The Unknowing Champion. Mixed-media painting on canvas
"I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Dr. Paula Welch of the University of Florida, who spent ten years (1973-1983) uncovering the lost story of Margaret Abbott. If it wasn’t for Dr. Welch’s hard work and determination in learning about the unknowing Olympic Champion, Margaret Abbott would never be etched in the history books as one of the first female Olympic Champions. Unfortunately, Abbott never knew she was an Olympic Champion before her death in 1955. However, her legacy lives on thanks to Dr. Paula Welch. " Brooklyn McDougall
Questions and answers
What parallels do you see between the practice of sport and art?
Sport and art have helped me achieve a great balance in my life. I am a perfectionist by nature, and this can be a double-edged sword. At my best, perfectionism expresses my attention to detail and helps me achieve technical cues required in long track speed skating. However, perfectionism also hinders my ability to see how much I have accomplished. Similarly in my art practice, perfectionism withholds me from fully expressing myself. Art has taught me how to release perfectionism, which has improved my art drastically. This has translated into my approach in speed skating and has made me a stronger skater.
How are both of these endeavors important to you?
Sport and art have both been a huge part of my life. Growing up, I played many sports and had the dream of representing my country at the Olympics, specifically in hockey. However, when I was 15 years old, I tried long track speed skating and instantly fell in love with the sport. Representing Canada at the Olympics in 2022 was incredible, and I still have a hard time putting it into words the feeling of accomplishing my childhood dream.
Growing up, I was also always creating art and was encouraged by my grandfather and grandmother to pursue this passion, both of whom were multi-media artists. When I create, I feel closer to my grandparents who have passed away. Art has allowed me to express myself and challenges my creativity.
What does being an Olympian mean? How does it define your approach to life and how you view yourself and the world?
To me, being an Olympian is best expressed by something my mom has always told me; “if you have confidence and believe in yourself, you can achieve anything.” This has guided my approach to life as I strive to be a role model for the next generation. After the 2022 Olympics, I experienced post-Olympic depression. To overcome these emotions, I devoted more time to giving back to my community and supporting the people and organizations that helped me achieve my goal. The Olympic Movement strives to contribute to a peaceful and better world, and I believe all Olympians are an extension of this goal.
meet the artists
Olympian Artists at Paris 2024
