83-year-old N.B. figure skater makes comeback at world’s biggest winter sports festival

Canadian figure skaters brought home 43 medals from the 2020 Winter World Masters Games in Austria this past week. But it was a senior skater from New Brunswick who stole the show with her incredible comeback.

“It was scary but I am glad I did it and I am really proud of myself for going out there and doing it,” said Pat Noddin who returned to her home in Moncton this week without a medal, but having achieved a major accomplishment.

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Noddin, whose nickname is Passionate Patty, took up figure skating at 58-years-old and entered her first competition at the age of 60.

“I have had the bug for a long time,” she said.

Last August, not long after stepping onto the ice to train for the biggest competition of her life, Pat’s dance coach and former Canadian Champion, Erick Gillies, said she suffered a terrible fall and broke her hip.

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“I don’t know exactly what happened; she caught her toe pick and went down,” said Gilles.

Needing a full hip replacement and assistance just to get around, Gilles said he wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to compete again.

“Knowing Pat I didn’t think she was going to give up,” said Gillies, and he was right.

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After only 5 months of rehab, in front of a crowd of cheering fans at the games in Austria, Pat and her new hip took to the ice for the first time by herself.

“It was really scary and kind of overwhelming,” Noddin said, but as the oldest figure skater to compete at the games, she made her country proud.

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“Once you get out there and your knees stop shaking and you are fine you do what you’ve got to do,” she said.

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Her song choice, “I did it my way” won over the crowd, which cheered on her every move.

“I had certain arm movements and facial expressions that I have to do and I managed to hit all those highlights,” said Noddin.

The moment was nothing short of pure inspiration as she and many in the crowd were brought to tears.

She may not have brought home a medal for Canada, but her comeback was the stuff of champions.

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