(courtesy: Jenelle Schneider, Canwest News Service)
It was suppose to be our country's most golden moment, but in the end it had a silver lining! Jen Heil captured Canada's first medal of the 2010 games with her slver performance in the moguls.
Get breaking National news
This moment captured my Olympic attention for the first time! I was anxious, nervous and excited as the moment neared when the young gal from Spruce Grove prepared to go down the course on Cypress Mountain. Unfortunately, with times clashing, I was actually on air and unable to watch her ski. Disappointing. Which was the feeling I got when I was informed that Heil had only been able to capture silver. I wanted so bad to announce our first ever Gold on home soil and I desperately wanted to say that it was Jen Heil who had won it.
I had the excellent fortune to speak with Heil a couple of times a few years ago. While I've never met her face to face, I left the phone conversations very impressed by how engaging this young athlete was. It was like talking to an old friend that I hadn't spoke with in a while. Just easy and relaxed. Great.
So, soon after learning of her Silver, my disappointment faded, and I became proud of hermassive accomplishment. She didn't lose the Gold, she simply won the Silver. She skied and amazing run, gave it her all and then topped it of by being gracious with her standing. Not parade around like the idiot American that won Bronze. That's why Jen Heil has inspired me to watch more of the Olympics, because she's her. She's us. Humble.
"Of course I wanted gold," she said. "But I won silver today. I'm so proud to be Canadian right now." And we are proud of you Jen.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.