Speed Skaters: Quotes From the 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Short Track
FEBRUARY 12
Kalyna Roberge:
“I look forward for the official opening of the Games. We feel that we are ready to start competing, and we can’t wait for our first day of competitions tomorrow.”
FEBRUARY 13
Charles Hamelin, 7th in the 1500m short track:
“Today, my races went well, my semifinals were difficult, but I was able to have a good race through the end. In the B final, I showed everyone that I was ready by winning it.”
Marianne St-Gelais, after qualifying for the women’s 500m quarter-final:
« It’s important to have a good start. I was really nervous and even more nervous after two false starts in my heat. But at the end, I had a good start. I was pushed, and I had to fight. I am not used not to being in front. At the end of the day, I succeeded, and I will be here on Wednesday. »
Tania Vicent, about the women’s relay after the team qualified for the final:
“We’re happy with our race, our objective was to stay close to the Chinese, which we didn’t manage to do fully, but we had a great relay, we were really close to our best time this year, that was on a fast ice, the ice here isn’t that fast so it’s good. We’re always achieving our best races in the final so we really look forward to it against the Chinese and Koreans!”
Olivier Jean, after finishing 4th in the men’s 1500m:
“Really happy with my first two races. I’m feeling really good on the ice and feel really fit. My problem was more a problem of strategy.”
FEBRUARY 17
Kalyna Roberge :
I’m very proud. (Marianne St-Gelais) is my little protégé.”
FEBRUARY 24
François-Louis Tremblay, after winning his 500m heat with a new Olympic record:
“Today, we only have one round so we want to go as fast as possible, we don’t need to save energy for later! I gave it my all and went for it.”
Charles Hamelin, after winning his 500m heat and qualifying for Friday’s quarter-final:
“Through my Olympic journey, I am feeling better and better each day. I’m really happy with my race and can’t wait for Friday!”
Tania Vicent:
“It’s at home — it’s the energy that makes you strive to do your best.”
FEBRUARY 26
Charles Hamelin
“I think both races were the greatest of my life.”
Long Track
FEBRUARY 12
Clara Hughes:
“This is just a beautiful feeling being amongst this incredible team and I feel like we are Canada walking into that stadium, and we are one, and this is just the beginning of 17 beautiful days for our Canada and for each athlete this is it.”
Robert Tremblay, coach:
“It’s always exciting. These are my tenth Games and it seems that the more we get to participate, the more it becomes emotional, and we feel all the work behind the athletes to get them to the Games. Everyone will remember the moment we enter the stadium. I took part in the Games in Calgary, and I still remember the moment when we entered the stadium. It was a strong feeling, people were going crazy, and we hope it will be the same here.”
FEBRUARY 13
Denny Morrison, feeling good about this first race, the 5000m:
“It was about getting a feeling of the Olympic atmosphere out of the system.”
FEBRUARY 14
2010 Olympic bronze medallist Kristina Groves on her feelings about the atmosphere at the Richmond Oval:
“I had goose bumps before my race from hearing the crowd cheering. I still have them!”
Clara Hughes
I heard Cindy (Klassen) racing and I knew we will never see this again. So I just wanted to soak it in. It was beautiful.
FEBRUARY 18
Kristina Groves
“I was nervous but that’s a good thing to be nervous for your race.”
FEBRUARY 24
Clara Hughes, after winning bronze in 5,000m
“(Speed skating) is something I will never ever forget and I will miss it for the rest of my life.”
