By Alex
It’s been a long time coming. In two Olympic games this country hosted; Montreal 1976 and Calgary 1988, Canada never won a gold medal on its slopes, in its rinks or tracks. Never. It was a dubious distinction to own.
That sore point has permanently been stricken from the record. Today, in Vancouver, Alexandre Bilodeau of Quebec, won the gold medal in men’s moguls. He becomes the first Canadian to ever win gold (and second since Jean-Luc Brossard in Lillehammer in 1994 to win this event) here at home.
In Montreal, Canada won 11 medals – five silver, six bronze. In Calgary, it earned two silver medals and three bronze for a total of five.
Since the 1990s, Canada’s performances at the Olympics – specifically the winter games – have steadily improved. Our medal count now reflects our stature as a winter nation.
It was certainly a great feeling to see a Canadian win a medal at home. But there’s a back story to this victory that shouldn’t be overlooked. It centers around Bilodeau’s older brother, Frederic, who has cerebral palsy. Frederic followed Alexandre to Torino and was present for the gold medal in Vancouver. I watched a segment on television revealing the remarkable special bond the brothers have.
The Olympics are about athletic excellence. However, they’re very much about the human spirit – both good and bad. In the case of Alexandre Bilodeau it’s a great, uplifting story.
Makes me proud to be Canadian.
Makes you proud to be Canadian? You come from a place covered in snow and ice for at least 6 months out of the year. You should practically own the winter olympics. Oh that’s right, the government owns everything up there.
Fred,
A little education is required.
First of all, geography. Vancouver does not receive that same snow fall as it does in Eastern Canada – thousands of miles east. In fact, Vancouver gets more rain than snow. Pacific northwest weather, you know?
Second of all, as to the assertion the government “owns” everything here. Just a misguided statement. Yeah, the government is a little too involved in things but no more or less than it is in the USA. In fact, according to The Economist, Canada places in the top five in terms of economic freedom – whatever that entails. Besides, care to tell me what exactly it owns?
Now that we’ve not only taken home the GOLD IN HOCKEY (MEN’S AND WOMEN’S), and broken the record for the most amount of gold EVER, aaaand the most amount of gold ever taken by the hosting country, all I can say to our southern counterparts is EAT IT.