GEDCO News

Each month, JP shares his experiences and athletic insights.

 

Here is his message from March 2010.

 

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Hi! It's been a little while huh? I can't believe the Games are already over... here's the experience in a nut shell ;)

What to say... I'm totally blown away by the whole experience! Of course, having some good races helps to look back and smile, but there was so much more...

Beyond the performances, it was incredible to hear the crowd roar at every shot, every time you'd ski by, feeling the energy in Vancouver city and Whistler village. The enthousiasme of hundreds of people who wrote me emails, posts on Facebook... most of them dating from years I was in elementary and high school... people I havn't talked to in years and there they were, cheering me on and showing their support.

All of this and I'm not even mentionning the strong Canadian patriotisme during these two weeks. The most viewed event (Gold Game CAN vs USA) created gatherings of millions of people throughout the country and the world. Canada will never have been so close, so united and proud.

Laslty, all the mind blowing results produced by Team Canada. We now have a record for most won gold medals with 14 golds (previously 13). We have another record of most won gold medals by a host nation (previously 10). We have another record of 72 top 8 finishes & 42% of the Canadian delegation went home with a medal arround their neck. Need I say more? What an event, what a brilliant memory that will be engraved in the minds of millions for decades to come.

I'd like to say thank you to all you volunteers who came out there and worked ever so hard during Games. The weather was mediocre, conditions were hard, days were so long and strenuous and the Games wouldn't have been as successful if it hadn't been for your long hours of work. Thank you!

Thank you to all the supporters out there, for your cheers, your emails, your posts on facebook, your post cards and for your beleif in this Olympic dream during all these years. Alot of you have had a fundamental role in the development of this dream (parents, coach's, sponsors, staff, volunteers, doctors, physios, massage therapists...), but to everyone out there, every bit of cheer strengthens confidance for comptetition and, having said that, you all have a part in what went down during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Thank you!

Thank you to all the media who covered biathlon throughout the province and the country. Good results, bad results are one thing, but the coverage of a not so well known sport means alot in being able to keep it alive with recruting development. All this to say that your stories and your work impacts us more than you might think. Thank you!

The last, but certainly not the least, thank you to all my sponsors. I can't thank you enough for all these years of dedicated, loyal support. I concider myselfe so lucky to have been able to establish personal relationships with you and I hope our journey will continue for the next Olympic mandat: Sochi 2014!!! Thank you!

Coming back down to earth now, we are presently in Canmore (Ab) for National Championships. This event counts 4 races, one was today. After this week of competition, the world cup team will be leaving on sunday for Finland and the last portion of the world cup tour (Finland - KontioLahtie; Norway - Oslo; Russia - Khanty Mansiysk). One last blitz before we will officicially be able to breath!!!!

I'll keep intouch once we get into Scandinavia!

Thank you to all once again and talk to you soon!

JP ( O O O O O )