Renata Fast is a name in Canadian women’s sports you may recognize. Already an Olympic silver and gold medalist, the 31-year-old ice hockey player is on the pursuit for her third Olympic medal. A multi-sport athlete from a young age, participating in volleyball, track, and snowboarding (to name a few), the majority of the winter months she spent growing up in Burlington, Ontario were spent on skates.

Choosing to pursue a career in hockey, Fast accepted a scholarship to play at Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. In 2014 after leading her team to a historic 2014 NCAA National Championship victory, she also joined Team Canada for the first time on the Under-22 National Women’s Development Team. A short four years later, Fast‘s career would launch her to athletic stardom as she joined the Team Canada’s women’s hockey team at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics where she won her first Olympic medal claiming silver.

Since, the hockey star has joined the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), playing for the Toronto Sceptres. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Fast and Team Canada did themselves one better and clinched gold, cementing themselves as the top team in the sport. Looking forward to the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games, the hockey star and her team are looking to repeat history.

Ahead of her third Olympic Games, we caught up with the athlete to talk her past Olympic triumphs, influences and what she does to prepare for hockey’s biggest stage.

Can you describe the feeling of winning your first Olympic Gold Medal?

RF: “Winning my first Olympic gold medal was honestly magical. It’s something you dream about from the time you’re a kid, and when it actually happens, you realize you’re part of something so much bigger than yourself. The Beijing 2022 Olympic Games were especially unique because they happened during COVID, so everything was inside a secure bubble and our families couldn’t be there in person. Of course we would have loved to have them with us, but that bubble created a really special environment where our team leaned heavily on each other. That made the experience even more meaningful.”

How does having a gold medal under your belt help you prepare for these upcoming games? Is there anything you’re doing differently?

RF: “Every Olympic Games you get to attend comes with more experience. At my first Olympics in 2018, I was wide-eyed and just trying to soak everything in. By my second Games, I knew what to expect and was laser-focused on winning gold. Heading into my third Games, I feel confident in what I need to do to perform at my best. I’ve learned a lot about myself over the last eight years, and now it’s about trusting those experiences, trusting the work I’ve put in, and being ready to leave it all out there.”

What team rituals occur before a game?

RF: “During the 2022 Olympics, our team came up with a fun little off-ice dance that we did before every game. It kept things light and helped balance the pressure of the moment. I’m not totally sure what our team ritual will be this time around, but those things always seem to form organically, and that’s usually when they’re the best.”

When it comes to beauty and/or skincare, do you have any products you can’t live without when on the rink?

RF: “Rinks are cold and dry, so hydration is key. I always have my Summer Fridays lip balm with me, and I swear by the Tatcha Water Moisturizer to rehydrate my skin after games.”

How would you describe the energy in the dressing room before a big game like the gold medal game at the Olympics?

RF: “It’s high-energy, fun, but still very focused. Everyone sticks to their normal pre-game routines, so even though you know an Olympic gold medal is on the line, there’s a sense of calm. Seeing your teammates prepare the same way they would for a regular season game in the PWHL is grounding. That’s one of the things I love most about being part of a team, you can lean on each other’s energy in high-pressure moments.”

Who were some of your favourite Canadian athletes to watch growing up?

RF: “I loved watching Becky Kellar—a longtime Olympian and a staple of Canada’s national women’s hockey team who also lives in my hometown. I also have really vivid memories of watching Alexandre Bilodeau win Canada’s first Olympic gold medal on home soil at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and then defend it again in 2014.”

What are you pre-game superstitions?

RF: “I’m not overly superstitious, but I always like to get a good walk in earlier in the day to clear my head. Once I get to the rink, taping my stick before the game is my one constant and it’s just part of getting into game mode.”

Feature image by Heather Pollock, Hockey Canada.