Winners all

Canada fell short of its goal for a top-12 finish and only came home with one gold medal, but to consider the 2012 Summer Olympics in London as somehow a national failure completely misses the mark.
At 18 medals in all, the same total as from the 2008 Games in Beijing, we were well behind the usual heavyweights like the United States, China, Russia, and Germany, as well as countries such as Great Britain, Japan, Australia, France, South Korea, and Italy. Sure, tiny Netherlands and Ukraine also bettered us, but we did top Spain and Brazil, for instance, in finishing 13th overall.
And given split seconds typically separating gold from bronze, not to mention the top four or eight usually, Canadian athletes distinguished themselves as among the best in the world in a wide variety of sports.
There were disappointments, of course. For every “sure bet” medal missed, however, was a story of an underdog defying the odds by reaching the podium.
Most important, though, was how our athletes served as excellent ambassadors for Canada and their respective disciplines regardless of where they placed—as seen by the throngs of fans turning out at airports across the country to welcome them home.
They return winners all.
Canada next is gunning for a top-10 finish at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. But while setting goals is important, as is always striving to improve, it must not overshadow the true accomplishments of our athletes.
The determination, sacrifice, and courage required to compete on the world stage never should be equated with failure.