You can add another accolade to Olivia Sarabura’s athletic resume.
The 22-year-old Guelph native has been chosen to represent Canada on the women’s rugby sevens team next month at the FISU World University Championships.
The event takes place in Aix-en-Provence, a university town in south France June 10-12.
“I wasn’t really expecting it,” she told GuelphToday of getting the roster spot. “I’m honestly just really honoured to get this opportunity, and really proud of where I am now and hoping to have a good showing out there.”
The John F. Ross alum is also excited to get international experience, and see where the rest of the world is at.
Sarabura was a multi-sport athlete growing up. She played four sports while attending Ross, including football, field hockey and rugby.
“At the end, I think it was just the opportunity,” she said of choosing rugby. “The coach for UBC actually came and watched me play when I was in Guelph and just gave me the option there.
“I was thinking of choosing hockey instead – or even before that, soccer – but this opportunity was really good and I have a lot of fun playing this sport, just like the other ones too.”
Looking back, she’s glad she made the decision to follow rugby.
“It brought me to where I am today, and I’m not upset about that at all,” she said.
Where is she today? Sarabura just finished her third year of eligibility with the rugby team at the University of British Columbia.
The kinesiology major has been a part of two straight Canada West women’s rugby sevens titles at UBC, the last coming in February.
Sarabura also competes on UBC’s rugby 15s team, who have made it to four straight national championship tournaments.
The team's success has helped the cause quite a bit. In she is one of three UBC players heading to France.
“Just being in that environment and having those opportunities really has helped everyone get noticed and develop so much more,” Sarabura said of UBC.
“The work ethic is really there and the coaches really want to see us and help us become the best player we can be.”
On top of her UBC teammates, she will also have Guelph Gryphons players Emily Clark and Kennedy Feasby along for the ride.
Sarabura, Clark and Feasby all play for the Guelph Redcoats club during the off season.
But eyeing opportunities, Sarabura is spending this summer in BC.
One of those opportunities came last week in the form of training with the Canadian women’s senior rugby sevens team, who are preparing for the Paris Olympic Games, a team she aspires to play for one day.
“It was very good because we can just see the level of dedication that they have, and how every rep matters, going through the steps,” Sarabura said.
“And just being in that environment was really fun (too) because we can just see how much training they did, the different steps, how they run their program and being with the coaches there, who are obviously very good at their jobs and the athletes too.”
But Sarabura isn’t thinking too far ahead.
She has got her eyes on her first competition outside of North America, and bringing home a gold medal.