VAN HAASTER Maximilien

Personal Information

Family Wife Andreanne, one daughter [2022]

Residence Montreal, QC, CAN

Occupation Athlete, Nutritionist

Languages English, French

Higher education Nutrition - University of Montreal: Canada

License number 19061992000

Club

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Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing at age 10.

Why this sport? He was interested in medieval knights and castles growing up, which led to him joining a local fencing club. "There was a fencing club in the sports centre where I took swimming lessons. I started to like fencing and I have not stopped since."

Club / Team Club d'Escrime Coeur de Lion du College Regina Assumpta: Montreal, QC, CAN

Name of coach Julien Camus [national]

Handedness Right

General Interest

Nicknames Chino, Max (insidethegames.biz, 03 May 2019; fencing.ca, 06 Jun 2015)

Hobbies Watching television, cycling. (Instagram profile, 28 Feb 2021; Canadian Athletes Now Fund Facebook page, 29 Jan 2021)

Most influential person in career Coach Henri Sassine. (escrimequebec.qc.ca, 28 Feb 2018)

Hero / Idol US boxer Floyd Mayweather. (fencing.ca, 01 Jan 2016)

Injuries He suffered a herniated disc while competing at the 2017 Grand Prix in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. (sportcom.qc.ca, 20 May 2017)

He sprained an index finger in the early part of 2016. (sportcom.qc.ca, 05 Feb 2016)

Sporting philosophy / motto "With fencing you should have fun. This is most important. Don't let yourself be pushed by your parents, coaches or performance at any cost. The most important thing is to love it, to find pleasure with it. You have to find what you like in fencing and enjoy it." (escrimequebec.qc.ca, 28 Feb 2018)

Other information FATHERHOOD
His daughter was born in 2022, and he says becoming a father has had a positive impact on his fencing career. "I'm in a situation where I do fencing, I have a family life and I also have a job at the same time. I have a 15-month-old daughter [speaking in 2024]. It's definitely the best thing that's ever happened to me, but it adds a challenge. It brings me a balance in my life which is very important. It also allows me to put things into perspective. Before having a child, if a competition went badly, I took it a little more personally. Now, I know that there are more important things in life than winning or losing matches, so it takes away the stress from competition, but it adds stress to trying to reconcile family life and sport. Since my daughter was born, I have done around 10 competitions and I think this is the period where I have been the most consistent in my fencing career. Maybe having things besides fencing allowed me to be more relaxed, but more focused in training." (lapresse.ca, 13 Feb 2024)

FURTHER EDUCATION AND OCCUPATION
He also studied kinesiology at McGill University in Montreal, QC, Canada, and is a registered kinesiologist and dietician. He has worked as a nutritionist at the Integrated University Health and Social Services Centre [CIUSSS] in Montreal, QC, Canada. (LinkedIn profile, 28 Apr 2024; Canadian Athletes Now Fund Facebook page, 29 Jan 2021; olympic.ca, 07 Aug 2016)

HERITAGE
He has a Dutch father and a Chinese mother. (medecine.umontreal.ca, 14 Sep 2016)