To the strangers in the cozy Victoria coffee shop, Kyla Coates seems normal enough — sipping away at her grande extra-hot soy chai latte. Little do these patrons realize this young woman in an inconspicuous corner is a world-class athlete.

At just 19 years-old, Coates is an internationally-renowned elite triathlete. Elite triathlon is a fast-paced continuous swim, bike, run event that requires mastery in each discipline.

What really set Coates apart from other triathletes are her pursuits outside the demanding world of elite sport.

As a full-time student in UVic’s Faculty of Kinesiology, Coates plans on applying her knowledge to the pursuit of a degree in medicine.

“It is very challenging and often extremely stressful. The key is to constantly prioritize and make lots of sacrifices,” said Coates.

Balancing the rigorous demands of a post-secondary education while remaining competitive internationally in triathlon, Coates is not your typical high-performance athlete. Most athletes of Coates’ calibre dedicate 100 per cent of their energy to their sport of choice. This puts Coates at a significant disadvantage, even if her impressive results prove the contrary.

“I am very jealous of my teammates and competitors that are able to properly recover after each and every training session. With school and training, it is really hard to fit everything in,” she said. “I don’t regret doing what I’m doing, because in a couple years I will be done my degree and still be young enough to concentrate on triathlon.”

A life dedicated to sport has made a significant impact on Coates. Even her choice of career stemmed from being surrounded by athletics.

“It becomes such a huge part of your life, you really just want to help athletes like yourself in the future,” she said.

Coates’ social life is also part of this delicate balance. Training 30 hours a week with 35-plus hours dedicated to her studies, the only friends she has time for are her training partners.

“My social life? It’s nonexistent … my social life is my training partners” said Coates with a laugh.

When asked about her greatest accomplishments she said jokingly, “You mean aside from getting my driver’s licence? That was difficult!”

Modesty aside, Coates won a gold medal at the 2009 Pan American Championships, making her the fastest junior elite (19 and under) woman in the Americas. She went on to battle through sickness and a stress fracture in her foot to place eighth at the World Championships in Australia earlier this year.

Coates is also one of Canada’s select few “carded athletes.” Carded athletes, such as Coates, receive Government support in the form of a monthly salary (living expenses), post-secondary tuition grants, as well as fully-funded training and travel to competitions around the globe.

Since the World Championships in Australia, Coates has been mending her broken foot while managing straight As at UVic. Even with a broken foot, Coates continues to train with slight modifications. Instead of running, Coates water runs and also does a modified strength program. She continues to cycle and swim with little alteration.

How does she manage such a hectic existence? The answer lies in the nature side of the age-old nature-versus-nurture conundrum.

“I’ve always been this way — it’s all I know” said Coates, with a shrug and a smile.

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