Contact:
Uwe Glaesser, 778.782.6775 (checking messages when off campus); glaesser@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, 778.782.9017/4323; Marianne_Meadahl@sfu.ca

Photos on Flickr

• See SFU’s list of Olympic experts/competitors: http://at.sfu.ca/kxYZeH

Simon Fraser University computing scientist Uwe Glaesser would never have anticipated the ripple effect of lending his old mountain bike to his daughter Jasmin in the summer of 2008.

“She didn’t even own a bike then,” says Glaesser, who is now preparing to watch Jasmin, a third-year SFU computing science and math student, take on the world as a cycling competitor at the London Summer Olympics.

“Nine months later she got her own road bike and right away started competitive cycling at local events in B.C. By then, she was riding up and down Burnaby Mountain – six times in a row – as a routine exercise.”

Uwe and wife Andrea will be tuning in to watch her compete from their home in Coquitlam. “I have always been a passionate cyclist myself but only as a recreational activity, and nowhere near anything serious. My wife and I get out on our road bikes occasionally, and I ride my mountain bike regularly, rain or shine.  Often that's about all of the fresh air I get when work becomes intense.”

The former School of Computing Science director hopes his daughter finds her debut at the Olympics satisfying and meets her “very high expectations.”

Jasmin will compete on the Canadian women’s team pursuit squad during the event’s debut in London. She won medals earlier this year with the national team at the world track cycling championships in Melbourne, Australia, winning silver in the individual points race and sharing bronze with teammates Tara Whitten and Gillian Carleton. The trio won silver at the World Cup in London, the official test to compete at the games.

Glaesser is also hopeful his daughter will also cross her academic finish line.

“Colleagues in computing science and mathematics have helped her to progress with her studies even while being abroad for extended training periods or competing in cycling events around the world,” says Glaesser.“We hope to see her find time to continue her academic accomplishments and complete her degree here at SFU.”

Jasmin is at a training camp for her final preparations leading up to the London games’ women’s team pursuit event August 3-4.

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