Go Canada

The Olympic Winter Games are set to begin in Sochi, Russia yet there seems to be a decided lack of excitement among Canadians as our athletes get ready to take on the world.
True, whatever plays out in Sochi will never match the “high” the country experienced four years ago as host nation for the Winter Games—capped by the men’s hockey team’s dramatic gold-medal win on the final day of competition.
And given the Games are taking place in a time zone 10 hours ahead of us in Rainy River District isn’t exactly conducive to being glued to the TV to root for our athletes for events happening in the wee hours of the morning here.
Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism, Russia’s stance on gay rights, and whether there are enough hotel rooms to go around in Sochi also have stolen the limelight away from the real stars: athletes from around the world coming together in the spirit of friendly competition, good sportsmanship, and camaraderie.
Nonetheless, Canadians certainly have had plenty to cheer about over the past few Winter Olympics—a far cry from 1972 in Sapporo, 1976 in Innsbruck, and 1980 in Lake Placid when we came home with a grand total of six medals in all.
Even when we first hosted the Games in Calgary back in 1988, Canada only won five medals, including no golds.
Times have changed—with 17 medals in Salt Lake City in 2002, 24 in Turin in 2006, and then 26 (including a leading 14 golds) four years ago in Vancouver.
Will Canada enjoy similar success in Sochi? Time will tell as the next two weeks unfold but there’s certainly no reason to think otherwise.
There’s nothing quite like an Olympic Games to unite our country—even if just for a little while. And it’s all thanks to those who have sacrificed so much to wear the Maple Leaf on the international stage.
We’re proud of you all. Go Canada!