Caroline Ehrhardt, Espanola champion triple jumper, heads to Olympic trials in Edmonton

Caroline Ehrhardt has had a tough year but the champion triple jumper fromEspanola, Ont.,is off to the Olympic trials in Edmonton, Alta.,this week with her resolvesteeled.

Ehrhardt, 24, said she'dlove to make the cut for Rio 2016 but realistically, she's noweyeing a spot onTeam Canada for Tokyo 2020, and hoping to regain her Canadiantrack and field title.

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"I guess I was a little bit naive," she said of life as an athlete after university.

For the first time, Ehrhardt who is now based in London, Ont. istrying to compete in her field with no financial support from the government of any kind.

I know there's more in the tank for sure.-Caroline Ehrhardt

She's been working full-timeto support her Olympic dream.

"It's been really, really, hard," she said."Just in terms of trying to get to training camps, and trying to get tohigh-calibremeets, it's nearly impossible [to pay for them]."

But despite long hours, physical injuries andsome "mental things", Ehrhardtsaid last week she jumped a personal best of 13 m 29 cm. "It's exciting, 'cause I know there's more in the tank for sure."

There will have to be:the Olympic triple jump qualifying standard is14 m 15 cm.

"I won't lie,90 per cent of the time it feels impossibly far," she said. "But that 10 per cent of the time when I feel like, 'Okay, like maybe I can do this,' it's so worth it."

"If I've learned anything, it's that regardless of whether I make it to the Olympics or not, I'm not going to regret trying."

Listen to the complete interview with triple-jumper Caroline Ehrhardt here.

Morning North6:33Espanola triple jumper Caroline Erhardt at olympic trials

Caroline Erhardt, the champion triple jumper from Espanola is off to the Olympic Trials this week. We had a very frank conversation with Olympic hopeful.