It’s a sight to behold when Olivia Ups dominates her opponents. The 25-year-old rugby sevens player’s relentless speed and strength set the tone for a memorable Olympic Games for Team Canada, who won silver at Paris 2024 on Tuesday.
Team captain Ups has alopecia, an autoimmune disease that caused her hair to fall out when she was growing up in Ontario. Caused by an immune attack on hair follicles, the condition can sometimes become so severe that it causes eyelashes and eyebrows to fall out as well.
Apps My hair started falling out When she was seven years old CBCand it took almost a year for a doctor to diagnose. Though it was tough, Upps says the experience helped her develop a more positive outlook on her body. “I lost my hair when I was younger, and I think it was a good time for me,” she told CBC. “If I’d been in high school or in my 20s, it would have been a different issue. But when I was younger, I quickly understood what it meant to be happy with my body.”
As a child, Ups tried wearing wigs but eventually gave up. “Even though I was only seven years old, I knew there was something so powerful about being able to say, ‘This is who I am and I don’t care what anyone thinks,'” she told CBC.
While Apsu acknowledges there is still a lack of awareness about the disease (he is often asked if he is undergoing chemotherapy or shaving his head), he aims to help people better understand it by sharing his experience in interviews and on TV shows. Social media.
2 years ago, World Rugby FilmsSpeaking about her journey, Apsu spoke about the importance of using her platform to challenge stereotypical beauty standards. “I think we need more women in these spaces to show young women that you don’t have to look a certain way to be beautiful, to be accepted, to be loved, to belong,” Apsu said. “Hopefully, there are more women in these spaces like me who are breaking down those barriers.”
For Aps, the road to Paris also included a frightening encounter outside of sports. Just six weeks before the Olympics began, Aps and a friend were hiking with their dogs on the Elk River Trail in Strathcona Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada, when they were attacked by a cougar. After spraying the cat with bear spray, the couple and their dog managed to escape. Aps had to be treated for cougar bites (as well as one of the dogs) after being airlifted by helicopter from the park, according to the Victoria Health Department. Times ColonistJust a few days later, she was back training with the team.
Canada’s performance in Paris was the country’s best in Olympic sporting history. Eight years after winning bronze in Rio in 2016, the team pulled off one upset after another en route to a long-awaited final against defending champions New Zealand. On Tuesday, Canada beat the Black Ferns 19-12 to win the silver medal.
While nothing is certain at the Olympics, Apps predicted a strong showing for the team in Paris. “We play as a team, not as sevens. We’re always trying to improve. We’re always trying to raise the bar. And we think about our legacy that’s in this jersey,” Apps said. olympics canada.
The Cougar had no chance of winning.
SELF is your one-click source for all things Summer Olympics. Check out our latest coverage from the Paris Games here.
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