Stinger Press
The beautiful Canadian national anthem was sung loudly and proudly fourteen times as Canadian athletes collected their gold medals in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympics. Canada had a total of twenty six medals and their standards are even higher for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. Does Canada have a realistic chance to retaining these numbers? Or could team Canada even do better? There are a few people and teams that we believe have a good chance for a gold medal.
A heart breaking loss to team Sweden in 2010 lead the Canadian women’s curling team searching for answers to what went wrong in their quest to gold. It was a hard fought battle but the results just weren’t there. There was a lot of positive thing to take from it however; this group of women were just one win away from capturing the gold in their own country. Jennifer Jones looks to lead her squad to gold this time around in Sochi, but can they do it? Can they rebound from 2010? The real question is, was the heart breaking loss the best thing that could have possibly happened? We see it all the times in movies, the underdog coming back and winning, but these women aren’t underdogs, their expectations are higher than ever. The sport of curling has grown a tremendous amount all over Canada from province to province. I truly believe with 2010 in the past, this group can rally together and bring home a gold medal to Canada.
When looking back at the 2010 Olympics, there are a few major moments I will always remember. One distinct moment is when a twenty six year old man by the name of Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada’s first gold medal on home soil. Alexandre Biloddeau is a Canadian freestyle skier who was born and raised in Quebec. We were all hoping a Canadian would win the gold medal at home, and when it happened it was better than anyone had hoped. Alexandre Bilodeau, by doing what he loves, set the tone to start a great Olympics for Canadian athletes. It made memories for millions of Canadians. Alex will be determined to prove to not only Canada, but the world that 2010 wasn’t a fluke. At only twenty six years of age there’s no way Alex’s desire and ability to win and compete have gone away. Alex Bilodeau is considered the favourite.
Last but certainly not least, we all remember the gold goal don’t we? Sidney Crosby single handledly, by a pass from Jarome Iginla, put an entire nation on his back and Canada came together as one. Hockey is without a doubt Canada’s sport. You can argue that the Men’s ice hockey team has more pressure on them this year than ever before. The Canadian world junior team has been on a 6 year drought, which is having team Canada and their loyal fans a little anxious. This year’s team is loaded with names like Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, and Jonathan Toews. From the net out this team is built for a gold medal. Anything else in the eyes of Canadians will be a disappointment. With returning players, depth, goaltending, goal scoring, and defense without a doubt the men’s hockey team is a favourite. It won’t be easy as the United States and team Sweden have well-built teams, but I believe Canada can repeat 2010 and bring home a gold medal.
These are just in my mind, three clear favourites for gold. Canada will be near the top of the standings for each category as we are sending out so many great athletes, looking to show what they can do for their country. These Olympic Games in Sochi should be like no other. As one, lets come together as a nation and support our Canadian athletes. Go Canada go!
- David MacDonald and Ryan Murphy
