Yvonne Ejim is rubbing shoulders — elbows, really — with basketball royalty.
That’s OK, because it’s in her DNA to be physical on the court.
But being that it’s happening at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris makes it ever more exciting for the young Calgarian.
“Yeah … I get awestruck,” said 22-year-old Ejim, with a telling giggle. “When we played Belgium, I was like, ‘Why am I guarding Emma Meesseman right now? That was kind of like a wow moment for me.
“And even with my teammates every single day, I’m like looking at them and going, ‘What? What? What?’ — I’m awestruck,” continued Ejim. “I feel ever since the first time I joined the senior team, it always surprises me every time I get to play with people like Nat (Achonwa), Kayla (Alexander), Bridget (Carleton), Kia (Nurse), Aaliyah (Edwards).
“I get to play with people like Shay (Colley) and Nirra (Fields) and Sami (Hill).”
And she gets to play with them all on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Ejim and Canada are already a game into the Games, having lost the first contest of Group B preliminary action to France — 75-54 — Monday at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France.
Games 2 and 3 for the local forward and her country-mates goes Thursday versus Australia (5:30 a.m. MT) and Sunday against Nigeria (5:30 a.m. MT) with an eye towards the playoffs beginning next Tuesday.
“A medal is reality — that’s reality,” said Ejim, boldly. “We always want to play at our best, and I know saying that is definitely easier said than done. But the best of the best in this world really do come to these competitions, and they put their everything out there. So we want to make sure that we’re setting ourselves up for success individually and also as a team.
“And I think being able to leave everything we can out there will put us in a great spot to say that, ‘Yeah, this is what we needed to do. This is what we wanted to do.’”
Ejim herself isn’t likely to see a ton of action at the Olympics.
One of the youngest on the squad, the Calgarian is mostly trying to soak up the experience of her first Games to fuel herself for the future.
“I’m not starting over Natalie Achonwa and Kayla Alexander,” said Ejim, giggling again at the abilities of her fellow forwards for Canada. “It definitely depends on the game, depends on the personnel, depends on how we’re defending and how we’re attacking. The lineup is probably is going to change throughout this tournament.
“And honestly, I don’t really go into a lot of this with much like expectation, because I think that just takes away from what the whole entire experience is meant to be. Like, if I’m starter, I’m a starter. And if I’m a bench player, I’m a bench player … it doesn’t really matter. I’m still part of this team. And there’s many different ways to contribute to a team other than starting and scoring and things like that.
“That’s always even my mentality in college,” continued Ejim. “Like, when I’m on a team, I always try and do everything that the team needs done. I think that’s a very important piece. And I just try and be that player. You look down the bench and you look at me, and you’re like, ‘OK, she can do this for us or she can do that for us.’”
What Ejim does is bring a physical presence.
The 6-foot-1 forward has been known for that in her four years with the NCAA’s Gonzaga Wildcats. She’s averaged 13.2 points in her 127 games — including 19.7 over 34 in her junior year— with the Zags since 2020-21 and totalled 112 blocks and 150 steals during her tenure with the side in Spokane, Wash.
“Hell … yeah, of course,” said Ejim, when talk turns to thoughts of forging a WNBA career. “I mean … I’ve obviously got one more year in university before I actually really start my pro career. But these are the players that I want to be playing against when I do enter my pro career.
“So just being able to understand the game at such a high level at the Olympics is so critical and important to me,” continued Ejim, who started playing basketball with her older brothers at a young age.
“If I’m able to do that, then I’m a better decision maker on the court and I’m making better plays and I’m a better teammate and I’m a better player, because I understand what it really takes. So yeah, obviously, I’m soaking in every single moment here.
“I can, because it’s very important to me right now but also in moving forward.”
Her sparkling college career comes after starring for Bishop Carroll High School in Grades 10 and 11 before moving to Edge School for her Grade 12 year.
Along the way, Ejim earned the coveted the Miss Alberta Basketball honour.
But it’s the honour — a medal — in France she truly covets.
“We have so much talent and so much experience and just a lot of passion behind like these jerseys,” added Ejim. “These people have played for a very long time, not only basketball but Canada basketball, in general. So just feeding off what these moments mean to them, I feel like that’s also what I’m trying to take in a lot when I am playing with these players.
“I feel like sometimes it’s settled in that I’m competing in the Olympics. And then other times, it still doesn’t feel real. So I get little bursts of moments, but I feel like it’s starting to kick in a lot more.
“I’m just very excited to see the success that this team gets. And if anything, I’m just ready for everything … anything.”
LOCALS ON DAY 4
A silver medal for Canada — and Calgary and area — came our way Tuesday in rugby sevens play at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in France.
Calgary’s Piper Logan, with Vulcan’s Keyara Wardley and Canmore’s Krissy Scurfield — injured in recent days — scored silver medals in women’s rugby sevens after going toe-to-toe with powerhouse New Zealand in the 19-12 final Tuesday.
“I know that we were kind of the underdogs coming into this tournament, but we’ve had so much support behind us,” Logan, 24, told CBC in Paris. “And I think seeing everyone back home just cheering us on is just so great. So … yeah … very grateful.”
Logan & Co. advanced to the final after a 21-12 upset of Australia in the semifinal earlier Tuesday.
Logan had the insurance try with 5:10 remaining in the semi at Stade de France, in Saint-Denis.
“That crowd was incredible to play in front of, whether they are with you or against you,” added Logan. “We can always use the energy with them, so that was really great.
“And I think we find some calm and confidence with just each other, looking to each other on the field.”
Also on Day 4 at the Olympics:
• Calgary’s Ingrid Wilm finished sixth in the women’s 100-metre backstroke in her first Olympics.
She swam a quick 59.25 in finishing just shy of the medals.
“Really really happy,” Wilm told CBC pool-side just moments after the sensational swim. “This time I was successful in finding my family (in the crowd) and was also successful in finding my lane (pre-race), so that was a bonus.
“It was really genuinely exciting,” continued Wilm. “Even in the underwater transition up to air , I can hear how loud the roar of the crowd is. So really a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m happy that I did get to experience it. Hopefully I do get to race the (4x100m) medley relay prelims. We’ll see.
“Otherwise I’m really excited to be a part of the crowd now and cheer for my teammates.”
• Calgary’s Lorne Wigginton and Canada’s men’s 4x200m relay team finished seventh in their morning heat and 14th overall, falling shy of the final later Tuesday.
Wigginton, Quebec’s Patrick Hussey, Ontario’s Alex Axon and B.C.’s Jeremy Bagshaw posted a 7:12.07 time at the Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France.