The two days were great, I would love to share all the fun of working at the Olympic Games, but I can't. It would violate my contract (and maybe saying so violates it too?). It was a great experience that I won't ever forget.
After work on Tuesday, I had the opportunity to meet one of Canada's coolest Olympians. Simon WHITFIELD (CAN) won the first triathlon Gold when the sport debuted in the Sydney 2000 games. He was a medal favorite in Athens 2004, but finished 14th. In Beijing 2008, Simon came back from behind to win the Silver medal! I was so excited to be at the finish line and watch him spring and come in second. After Simon went through Doping Control, he emerged and made his way towards the awaiting CBC TV crew. He was with his coach and saw me making my way over towards him, so he stopped and said "Hi!" I congratulated him and told him I was from Montreal, and he stopped to chat about the city for a bit. Simon grew up in Kingston, Ontario but now lives in Vancouver. Meanwhile, I had Simon autograph my volunteer shirt! What an awesome souvenir! A silver medalist signed my Beijing 2008 volunteer shirt!...and he's a Canadian silver medalist too! :)I also touched his Silver medal. (You can kinda see it in the picture). I just have to find a Bronze medal and I can brag about touching the trifecta of Beijing Olympic medals!
A few hours earlier, I was at the post-event press conference. Simon was being asked a ton of questions, more than Gold medalist Jan FRODENO (GER) and Bronze Medalist Bevan DOCHERTY (NZL). The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun, CBC and a TON of other Canadian media asked him questions--it was awesome being in the same room as a lot of those great journalists. Simon said something about his last sprint towards the finish line that I will never forget:
"I wrote on my handlebars 'Sing like Adam Kreek'. It flashed in my head 'sing like Kreek,' buddy, and I thought let's take off, let's go."
Adam KREEK (CAN) won a Gold medal for Canada in the Men's Eight Rowing on Sunday. (See previous blog post). During "Oh Canada" Adam was so excited and proud about the win for Canada that he bellowed the National Anthem. It was a really emotional event that will be be "one of those moments" that represents Team Canada. Anyways, Simon wrote "Sing like Adam Kreek" to give himself the strength and inspiration to win Gold. Unfortunately, Simon didn't win Gold, but did get Silver-- still an AWESOME accomplishment.
Sometimes it takes little events like this to remind me why I LOVE being a Canadian! :)
Mark
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