Up until these Games Canada had the dubious distinction of hosting 2 Olympic Games and never having won Olympic Gold on home soil. Alexandre Bilodeau and his performance in the moguls ensured that there would not be a 3rd time. And Canadian athletes are just getting started. Maille Ricker won gold in snowboarding on Tuesday and many more are to come.
However don't think that the performance of our athletes at the 2010 Games are the exception. For the past decade it has been the norm to see Canadian Athletes on the podium. Yet every time Canada wins a medal at these Games, journalists seem intent on reporting that there has been a change in attitude amongst our athletes.
In the past the typical Canadian attitude towards international competition aside from hockey was "we hope not to embarass ourselves," notes Stephen Brunt of the Globe & Mail. Note to Brunt, at the past three Winter Olympiads Canada has been recognized as the most dominant nation in the world in the sports of speed-skating and curling - not hockey.
Bob McCown of the fan 590 in Toronto reported on his show yesterday that there is a fundamental shift in the attitude of Canadian athletes at these games. He went on to add that the Own the Podium program has installed a winning attitude in our athletes. McCown - did you forget that Canada finished fourth in the overall medal count at the 2002 Olympic Games and 3rd in the medal count in 2006. Canada currently sits 5th at these Games.
Canada is having a great games and lets all hope that this continues, but lets just all remember that Canada has been winning medals at the Olympic Games for the past 14 years. 2010 is not an anomaly. It is just the first time that most journalists have taken the time to notice.
0 comments:
Post a Comment