Winter Olympics 2010:
Canada's
Alexandre Bilodeau finally breaks gold medal drought
For Canada has won its first
Winter Olympic gold medal on
Canadian soil – aftermore than 500 medal attempts
and 12,257 days. The honour went to the moguls skier
Alexandre Bilodeau, whose knee-pumping and
high-flying acrobatics on the Cypress Mountain
course dissipated the ‘Oh Canada’ jinx.
Bilodeau has a disabled brother,
Frederic, who was at the bottom of themoguls course
with his arm raised high in the air throughout
Bilodeau’s near perfect 23.17 secs second run.
Frederic’s palpable excitement went into overdrive
once he realized his brother had won the gold medal.
The two embraced in amoment of tears and tenderness
and Bilodeau was near to tears as he described the
impact of Frederic’s cerebral palsy and the support
of his family.
“I don’t think I have realized it
yet,’’ Alex Bilodeau said immediately after his win
was confirmed. ‘’It is too good to be true… the
party is just starting for Canada.’’
Such was the emotion surrounding
the triumph, commentator Veronica Brennersaid she
had chills up and down her spine. ”This will take
the pressure offall of the (Canadian) athletes,
suddenly Canadians have seen the light,’’ she said.
Bilodeau relegated the defending
Olympic champion and pre-event favouritethe Canadian
born Australian Dale Begg-Smith to the silver.
United States skier Bryon Wilson captured the bronze
medal, just ahead of other Canadians Vincent Marquis
and Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau.
Updated : Feb 15,2010
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