The general consensus is that Canada has never experienced another sporting week like it just did internationally.
The podium parade continued yesterday with four gold medals at a World Cup short track meet in Bulgaria and Kristina Groves’ silver medal at the world all-around championships in Norway.
This much can be guaranteed for one year from now: Canada’s athletes are going to put on the best show ever seen by this country’s at a Winter Olympics. You can pretty much guarantee they are going to win more medals than ever before, topping the 24 at the 2006 Turin Games.
There appears to be too much depth in the ranks for that not too happen, with too many talented athletes and fine coaches.
A few examples to keep an eye on:
• Alex Bilodeau, moguls skier — This guy flies down the hill like the Grim Reaper’s on his tail, and they have to notify air traffic control when he launches himself off the kicker.
• Matt Morison — This 21-year-old snowboarder from Burketon, Ont., near Oshawa, has a world championship medal, World Cup wins and a winner’s mentality without the cockiness.
• Joanne Rochette, figure skater — You’ve got to give props to someone who wears a dominatrix outfit in the gala, as she did yesterday at the Four Continents championships.
• Kristina Groves, speed skater — Canada hasn’t missed a beat even with Cindy Klassen and Wotherspoon injured and she’s a huge reason for that.
• The Gregg family — defenceman Randy Gregg left the Oilers for a year to play in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Now a doctor, he and his wife Kathy, a two-time Olympic speed skater, have a son and daughter who could be on the 2010 team. Jessica won a gold medal yesterday at the short-track World Cup, while Jamie is rising fast as a men’s long-track sprinter.
