CALEDONIA—Fresh off a visit to Germany competing on an international stage, Caledonia-based runner Domenic Barresi has set his sights on the 2028 Olympics as his chance to show the world what he can do.
Primarily a 100-metre runner, Barresi recently travelled to Germany to spend 12 days taking part in Athletic Canada’s NextGen program, designed to provide experience at the world level for athletes identified as potential Olympians.
While Barresi played some casual soccer as a youth, he admits, “I didn’t really do any sports when I was young.”
It was a red-hot 12.5-second time in the 100m run at his Grade 7 track and field day that first lit the spark.
—Submitted photo.
“It was one of those ones where my teacher ended up talking to my parents and was like, ‘Hey, he should probably do this.’ I didn’t realize at the time, but looking at it for a seventh grader, that was pretty legit,” said Barresi.
Once attending McKinnon Park Secondary School, he began amassing victories, including gold in the 200m, silver in the 100m, and bronze in long jump at OFSAA in Grade 10. He also posted the fastest times in the country in the 100m and 200m categories at the U18 Nationals in 2020.
“That was another eye-opener that I should probably be taking this pretty seriously,” said Barresi.
When Barresi headed to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York after graduating high school, he found himself in a very different training environment.
“I loved the training when I was at school, but when I got in as a first year, I was getting whooped,” Barresi recalled, noting his adaptability helped him improve greatly by the time he reached his sophomore year at Cornell.
Now a graduate, Barresi is back home and working as a trainer and coach at Hamilton Fitness Academy. He is also training himself to compete internationally, including two recent trips to participate in international relay programs in Bermuda and at Louisiana State University.
Barresi was one of 28 athletes selected from across Canada (20 able-bodied and eight Paralympians) who flew to Germany to participate in the NextGen program from July 1 to 12, 2026.
The program aims to give recognized athletes a taste of international competition while living and working as an integrated team under full National Team standards. It is fully funded by Athletics Canada, with travel, accommodation, meals, coaching, uniforms and apparel, competitive opportunities, and support (physio, massage, sports psychologist) available to every team member.
“This is the first real national team where I’ve actually represented Canada in uniform, so it’s been a very cool experience,” said Barresi.
—Photo courtesy of Klick Photography.
The program was based out of an Olympic training centre in Stuttgart, Germany, which will host Canada’s Commonwealth Games Team later this summer.
On competing at a higher level, Barresi said, “There’s always a bigger fish, especially in a sport like track. There’s always someone, unless you’re the best in the world, who is going to beat you. You have to surround yourself in that pond. You don’t want to be a big fish in a small pond – you want to keep progressing.”
With all this experience under his belt at just 23 years old, Barresi is eyeing the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California with great anticipation.
“In 2024, if we go back and look at the national rankings – there was eight people ahead of me and all eight ended up representing Canada at the Olympics,” he said. “That makes me realize it is a possibility, and really it’s about trudging on and keeping dialled into the sport.”
He said the NextGen athletes shared a mutual respect for each other rooted in healthy competition and focus.
“The term I use is I get activated,” said Barresi. “Everyone’s in their own little world getting warmed up.”
Preparing for competition requires commitment. Leading up to the big day, Barresi spends five days a week on the track and lifts weights three days a week.
“Sometimes I’ll take a full Sunday off, but usually Monday to Saturday I have some sort of workout I’m getting done,” he shared.
Before he can take a run at his Olympic dream, Barresi has his sights set on more immediate competitions, including the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru and the 2027 World Athletics Relays in Beijing, China.
Barresi hopes to be in his peak physical condition when the Olympics roll around in 2028.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on myself, but I definitely have expectations,” he said. “I have very high expectations of myself.”
—With files from RB Burton.
