20-for-20 with Megan Bankes

Canada’s Megan Bankes racing to second in the 10 k pursuit at the IBU Junior European Championships on Feb. 5 in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic. (Photo: Emily Dickson)

In another 20-something-question, fill-in-the-blanks series, we checked in with the world-class U.S. and Canadian biathletes that will be competing at 2017 International Biathlon Union (IBU) Youth & Junior World Championships Feb. 22-28 in Osrblie (also known as Brezno-Osrblie), Slovakia.

Here’s 19-year-old Megan Bankes, of the Biathlon Alberta Training Centre (BATC), who will be representing Canada at her fourth Youth/Junior Worlds. On Thursday, Bankes won the junior women’s 12.5 k individual to notch the second gold medal for Canada in the second day of the championships.

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“My full name is Megan Bankes, but you can call me Money Banke$. I was born in Calgary, Alberta, raised in Calgary, and one thing you should know about my hometown is it’s the sunniest major city in Canada.

Canada’s Megan Bankes racing to 30th in the IBU Cup sprint in Obertilliach, Austria, earlier this season in December 2016. (Photo: Michel van Balkum)

I started cross-country skiing when I was 3ish and started biathlon when I was 12, thanks to my parents/brother.

I currently train in Canmore, Alberta, with BATC.

If I’m not skiing, you might find me baking tasty treats with Sarah Beaudry.

If I had to pick a favorite book, it would be ‘Through Black Spruce‘.

One of the things I’m most excited about for Youth/Junior World Championships in Brezno-Osrblie is racing and lots of delish wafers.

This will be my fourth Youth/Junior World Championships, and this year, I’m competing as a junior. One race I’m especially targeting there is the pursuit.

The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was have fun and do the best that you can do.

One of the best race memories I have is just recently, the last lap of the pursuit at Junior OECH [European Championships], when everyone lining the course was cheering for me, particularly my teammates. I shot really well, and finished 2nd, it was a pretty stellar day.

If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be Laura Dahlmeier.

If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably own a bakery called ‘Gong Show Bakeshop’ with Sarah Beaudry, or be an ecologist.

I’m missing zero days of school to be here, (I take an online course) and my teachers/professors are probably thinking, ‘When will Megan submit the next assignment?‘

You can follow me on Instagram @moneybankes or my Facebook athlete page: Megan Bankes – Biathlete.”