I Heart Edmonton

During the Olympic Games Edmonton area athletes reminded us why we're called the 'City of Champions' BY EMIL TIEDEMANN I 'VE never really watched past Olympics, Winter or Summer, and I had no intention in starting with the 2010 Games in Vancouver . But, like so many fellow Canucks, I was drawn into the spectacle that would connect a whole nation like nothing before it had. Patriotic Canadians from coast to coast revelled in every bronze, silver and gold medal victory of our hometown heroes, themselves fuelled by a united pride that caught many of us--and outsiders alike--offguard. For seventeen days, millions were glued to TV sets as we not only ended our dubious distinction of being the only country not to earn a gold medal on home turf, but went onto win a record 14, more by a single country in any previous Winter Olympics ever! By Sunday (Feb. 28) Canada had logged 26 medals in all, enough for third place, behind the U.S. (37) and Germany (30). Some of those medals ...

Mike Robertson of Canmore became the fourth Canadian to reach the podium in Vancouver BY EMIL TIEDEMANN "It was kind of bittersweet," said Mike Robertson of his second place finish in men's snowboard cross on Monday (Feb. 15). "Obviously I wanted to win for sure, but I'm so happy to be second. It's amazing." Robertson, who turns 25 next week (Feb. 26), barely lost to American boarder Seth Wescott , 33, who took gold on Cypress Mountain at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics . France's Tony Ramoin , 21, finished with a bronze medal, ahead of American Nate Holland . "I definitely made a mistake at the bottom, and [Wescott] capitalized and he's the winner now, and I'm second," continued Robertson. "But I can't complain. Second's amazing." Although Robertson--who happens to be the youngest member on Canada's snowboarding team--was born in Edmonton, he moved to Canmore , Alberta when he was just six. Although he...

Freestyle skier was pegged as Canada's sure thing for gold, but had to settle for second place instead BY EMIL TIEDEMANN S O, it wasn't Canada's first gold medal on home turf, but it was the nation's first medal of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics ! I'm, of course, referring to Spruce Grove native Jennifer Heil 's silver medal victory on Saturday night (Feb. 13), settling for second place in Ladies' Moguls. American Hannah Kearney edged out Heil's 25.69 points total with her 26.63 score, while fellow U.S. team member Shannon Bahrke took the bronze with a 25.43 final. "I definitely felt like I could have done better," said Heil, 26, who took home a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. "There's no doubt about it. I was shooting for gold tonight. But I really do feel like I won silver." Currently studying at Montreal's McGill University, Heil was expected to capture Canada's first gold medal on home soil....

e O LYMPIC pride was undeniable on the snowy field in the photo below, as students of Spruce Grove 's Woodhaven Middle School showed off their support for local Olympic hero Jennifer Heil yesterday (Feb. 10). Heil, who won a gold medal in freestyle skiing at the 2006 winter games in Turin, Italy, is from Spruce Grove and, in fact, attended Woodhaven School. She is going for gold again when the 2010 Olympic Games kickoff tomorrow (Feb. 12) in Vancouver. To capture this shot Global 's news helicopter, Global 1 , hovered above the junior high school, where hundreds of students formed the five celebrated rings that make up the official symbol of the Olympics, as a pair held up a sign that read "Go Jenn Go." Some of the other locals who will be competing in the Vancouver Olympics include curlers Kevin Martin & Adam Enright (of Edmonton), speed skater Tamara Oudenaarden (of St. Albert ), bobsledders Pierre Lueders & Neville Wright (of Edmonton), hockey playe...