Written by: Diana Matthews

With the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics well underway, Canadians have been enjoying a non-stop party full of drama, excitement, redemption and above all else, pride. The country has turned all their attention to the west coast and the games are delivering in entertainment value. All of our athletes have been performing above and beyond expectations, changing the face of Canadian competition; no longer are we patiently waiting our turn and safely carrying out our performance. The Olympians at these games are tough, fierce, driven, and want nothing less than to win on home soil. One athlete in particular has made Canada extremely proud, winning the first gold medal for the country on February 14.

Quebec native Alexandre Bilodeau brought home the highest honour in men’s mogul skiing, earning him not only national acclaim, but bragging rights amongst his teammates. The 22-year-old grew up playing sports, distinguishing himself in hockey and freestyle skiing. As Bilodeau trained harder every day to achieve athletic success, his older brother, Frederic, was slowed down by cerebral palsy. Instead of refusing to relate to Alexandre, Frederic became his biggest fan and supporter, standing front row to watch his brother bring home Olympic gold. Alexandre found inspiration in his brother, calling him his hero and praising his tireless support and love for Alexandre’s dreams. After winning first place, Bilodeau dedicated his medal to Frederic, touching the hearts of spectators and the country at large.

The story of Alexandre Bilodeau is the embodiment of what Vancouver 2010 means to so many across the nation. These games have been claimed by young adults and aspiring athletes as their own - a chance to show the world what Canada is truly made of. Bilodeau, Sidney Crosby, Maelle Ricker, Tessa Virtue, and Scott Moir are just a few of Canada’s young athletes. These talented stars are what has separated the Vancouver games from almost every other Olympic year so far. Fresh, driven, and powerful athletes are the new generation of Olympians, creating a vibrant and youthful Olympic games in Vancouver. The media, VANOC, and the International Olympic Committee have all commented on the vibrant and positive atmosphere in Vancouver, saying that these games, much like the Sydney, Australia summer games in 2000, were personified by the youth participating in and supporting the events.

As you turn the TV on, you can sense the energy and excitement of the crowd as they watch youngsters compete with the best in the world. Although we are not highly ranked in medal standings, the attitude is more about proving what our athletes are made of and showing strength in the face of adversity - something that all of these Canadians have struggled with on their road to Olympic success. The support of a nation is behind all of these athletes, creating a strong foundation on which each athlete compete to the best of their ability and show the world what they’re up against, and more importantly, what’s yet to come four years down the road for the next Winter Olympic games in Sochi, Russia.

Media coverage since the opening ceremonies has been carried out in Canada solely by CTV. However, even they have added new faces to their coverage, employing Jessi Cruickshank and Dan Levy from MTV Canada to report on the lighter side of the games, offering commentary about Olympic fashion, interviews with the best fans in the crowds, conversations with the athletes, and other amusing anecdotes. Cruickshank and Levy are a breath of fresh air, offering popular culture insight and bringing the games to the younger generations. They are an easy pair to relate to and their observations are both clever and hilarious in what otherwise could have been average Olympic coverage.

As a young Canadian and avid supporter of the Olympic Games, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching our athletes compete and show the power and passion behind Canada. Team Canada has been doing an excellent job so far, and as Vancouver 2010 begins to wind down, it is important for them to know that they have an entire nation behind them, rooting and cheering for them all the way onto the podium. Our team is truly something that Canada can “believe” in.

Written by :

dmatt

 

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed