Own the Podium CEO Anne Merklinger knows what it takes for Canadian athletes to succeed

When Canadian swim team officials were finalizing their plans for a pre-Olympic training camp in Sardinia they realized the facility they planned to use didn't have enough starting blocks.

The solution was to bring some from Canada, but transporting them was going to be expensive. Pierre Lafontaine, Swimming Canada's chief executive officer, figured out the cost and submitted a proposal to Own the Podium. The money was made available.

It's a small example but it shows how Own the Podium and chief executive officer Anne Merklinger are willing to spend the money necessary if it means giving Canadian athletes even a slight edge in winning medals at this summer's Olympics in London.

"These guys have never said no to me at any point,'' said Lafontaine. "I have to give them a clear plan. I have to give them a good reasoning behind it. They have been very good for us, good at giving particulate funds for particular people.''

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For the 2012-2013 year, Own the Podium will spend over $33.3 million on Olympic and Paralympic sports. The money will go toward training, support staff and technologies research.

Throwing money at situations doesn't always create results but Merklinger believes Own the Podium's investments will pay dividends in London.

"We're certainly confident that the investment that's been made will impact on performance,'' Merklinger said in an interview. "That's the mandate of the organization to make sure that there is a very focused investment on sports that have the potential to be on the podium.

"Without that investment, there is no doubt in my mind it would be a much bigger challenge for athletes and coaches to be in the position to realize a podium finish.''

Merklinger, 53, was named Own the Podium's CEO in January, replacing Alex Baumann, a two-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer. Baumann resigned in September 2011 and moved to New Zealand to be closer to family after dealing with cancer.

Merklinger had been OTP's director of summer sport since August 2009. She's a former competitive swimmer and elite curler who spent time as director general of CanoeKayak Canada.

"Excellence is a fundamental value of who I am,'' she said. "It drives my every waking moment in terms of how do we help more Canadians win medals.''

Merklinger was a member of Canada's national swim team from 1977 to 1981. She won a silver medal in the 200-metre breaststroke at the 1979 World University Games. As a curler she won the Ontario championship four times and twice reached the final of the Scott Tournament of Hearts.

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Her time competing gave Merklinger a better understanding of what an athlete needs to succeed.

"I understand what's involved being a successful high-performance athlete,'' she said. "I understand the commitment, the relentless pursuit of excellence and the importance of having a quality support team around you. Doing everything absolutely possible to achieve your performance goals.''

Merklinger also sees another side of sport. She has a daughter with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes a permanent hunger for food, forcing her family to lock the fridge and cupboards at home. Merklinger has worked for the Commission for Inclusion of Athletes with a Disability and the Canadian Federation of Sport Organization for the Disabled.

Own the Podium was formed in 2005 to help Canadian athletes lead the medal count at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Canada finished third in the standings with 26 medals, but the country's 14 gold was the most won by any country at a Winter Games.

In 2006 the program was expanded to include summer sports. Own the Podium distributes about $70 million in federal government funding.

Part of Merklinger's job is to lobby the federal government for money. She then helps decide how much money each sport federation receives. That funding is determined by the sport's potential to win medals.

Heading into London rowing has received over $4.5 million from OTP. Swimming has received the next highest amount at $4.1 million followed by athletics with $3.7 million.

For Swimming Canada, OTP's investment has meant more than starting blocks. It has allowed Lafontaine to hire coaches and send athletes to more meets. It means a race analysis specialist and an extra massage therapist can attend the pre-Olympic camp.

Lafontaine likes the attitude Merklinger brings to her job.

"She always is looking for how to make it happen,'' he said. "She's not one of those that will go 'no way.' She will go 'ok, let's figure out how to make it work.'''

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When Lafontaine was first hired to turn the swim team around, Merklinger was head of CanoeKayak and had an office right down the hall. She wasn't afraid to offer advice and guidance.

"I had never been a CEO before,'' said Lafontaine. "She was a great sounding board and a great person to help me understand the nitty-gritty of Canadian politics.

"For me she has been a great mentor for moving Swimming Canada to the next level. She still is.''

Canada's goal at the Summer Olympics it to finish in the top 12 of the medal standings. To make that happen Canadian athletes will probably need to win between 22 and 25 medals. Canada finished 14th at the 2008 Beijing Games with 18 medals.

"We know a top-12 objective is very ambitious,'' said Merklinger, adding one medal can make the difference between finishing in the top 12 and the top 15.

Canada has always enjoyed better results at Winter Games then Summer Olympics. That's a gap Merklinger wants to close before the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"We have a lot of work left to do in terms of building high performance sports in Canada that can win medals Games after Games,'' she said. "The investment in summer sport is still relatively short. Do I think [OTP] will have a positive affect on performance in London? Yes. Is there still a lot of work to be done? There's no doubt about it.

"If we don't achieve the top 12 . . . I think we will make sure we reflect on what work is left to be done, what we could have done better, and what we will do better going into Rio.''

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