Many news agencies predicted Canada would come home with at least 30 medals before the Sochi Winter Olympics started – a total that would be our highest ever. Well, halfway through and we’re not exactly on track. It’s looking more like we should be happy to match our Vancouver total (26) rather than break it. That’s not as bad as it sounds, though, considering we’re competing on foreign soil (they need our love!) Regardless, here’s a recap of what’s happened and what to look for in the second half.
Best Medal Moment
The Dufour-Lapointe sisters winning gold and silver in women’s moguls. Seriously, this picture (above) might end up being the best of the entire Olympics.
Best Canadian Moment
Speed skater Gilmore Junio gave up his spot in the 1,000m short track race to teammate Denny Morrison because he felt Morrison was skating better. Morrison went on to win a silver medal. If this doesn’t tell the world what we’re about then the world isn’t listening.
Best Fight
Mark McMorris fought through a broken rib to earn a bronze medal for Canada in men’s Slopstyle Snowboarding. Since we struggle to get off the couch when we have a paper cut, this sounds extra impressive.
Best Choke
Sorry Patrick Chan, but somebody had to earn it. Chan, a three-time World Champion, simply couldn’t keep it together enough to capture the gold. Yuzuru Hanyu skated ahead of Chan and was the only man above him in the standings. The Japanese teenager fell twice during his routine and all but opened the door for Chan to claim Canada’s first-ever gold medal in men’s figure skating. Sadly, Chan struggled and had to end up settling for silver with tears in his eyes.
Best Chances to Come
Hockey
You know it, we know it, the world knows it. Both our men’s and women’s teams are capable of being the best in the world on any given day. Let’s just hope that day is during the finals.
Bobsleigh
Kaillie Humphries, the 28-year-old bobsled pilot from Calgary, is the reigning Olympic champion in the two-woman bobsled (she currently slides with Heather Moyse as her brakewoman) and she’s also won gold at the last two World Championships and is the reigning World Cup champion. If that’s not a resume to believe in, we’ll never get hired.
Curling
We’ve been dominating the broom game at the Olympics since its introduction in 1998, and we see no reason the tradition shouldn’t continue this year for both our men’s and women’s teams. If we don’t pick up a pair of medals here then Men with Brooms will have been made in vain.
So there you have it. As at every Olympic games, there have been many highs and lows already, but as a nation we can definitely hold our heads high. Here’s to hoping the second half of Sochi only gets better.
#GoCanadaGo
#LYNL | (Live Your Notable Life)
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