Canada Wins First Gold On Home Soil
February 15th, 2010

So far, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver is shaping up to be an excellent one for its host country. In 1988, when the Games were held in Calgary, Alberta, Team Canada was held to only five medals, two of them silver and three bronze. The gold medal drought on home soil had begun. As of today, however, Canada has won three medals in as many days of competition in Vancouver. And one of each colour to boot!

Over the past couple of days, Kristina Groves captured a bronze medal for the 3000m speed skating event while downhill skiier Jennifer Heil picked up a silver medal for the ladies moguls. To cap off the weekend, Alex Bilodeau was victorious in the men's moguls freestyle skiing, capturing Canada's first-ever gold medal on home soil!

As Steve Simmons reported on The Toronto Sun's website today, “the drought is over”! As we writes, Bilodeau made more than history but he helped to alleviate the pressure on other Canadian athletes attempting to achieve the same feat. Of course, there is great hope that Bilodeau's gold will not be the only one that Canada wins during the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

Simmons referred to the feat as “enormous” remarking that it adds a great boost to all Canadian athletes who are searching for momentum in an effort to succeed at this year's Games. It should be mentioned, as well, that what makes Bilodeau's gold medal so special is that he beat “Australian” Dale Begg-Smith to get it.

Referred to as “creepy” by Simmons, Begg-Smith left his native Vancouver for Australia after having a hand in inventing “Internet spam”. More importantly, Begg-Smith was favoured to win the event, making his prowess in the sport, in addition to his abandonment of his birth nation even greater reason to revel in Bilodeau's victory.

There is, of course, another 14 full days of competition left at the Winter Olympics leaving the chances for Canada's record medal count to increase significantly. Many are looking towards attaining more medals as some Canadian athletes who have not made it to the podium have still come very close.

All eyes will remain on Canadian athletes, with a special attention being paid to the Canadian hockey team who is looking to make up for the debacle that was their performance in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. In 2002, the team won gold in Salt Lake City.

Canada is already golden this year! Stand up and cheer Canada. as it appears as if the nation is in for one of their best showings at an Olympic Games yet.